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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- efrank39@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "AWATING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <efrank39@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2013 08:47:09 -0400
Subject: Re: Awaiting Payment Notification
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
TINUBU SQUARE,
LAGOS.
Our Ref: CBN/LD/HOD/01/8/2013
Your Ref: .............................
Telex: CENBANK.
Tel: +234 803 531 1607
Fax:+23412270437
PAYMENT FILE: CBN/IRD/BEN/2013
Attn: Beneficiary,
After much investigation we discovered that the Nigerian Government is owing you some millions of dollars, We are sorry for the delay. We also discovered you lost a lot of money in pursuant of these funds to you.However all the board of directors have unanimously agreed to remit this money to you without further delay.
So, you are by this letter advised to re-confirm to me your bank account details for immediate release of your fund and your direct telephone number for easy
communication.
Thanks.
Mr. Frank Ekeh
Director, Central Bank of Nigeria.
Email: efrank39@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
