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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:
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- 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.
- contact.policeservice@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Moammed Dahiru Abubakar" <service@sprotoften.dk>
Reply-To: contact.policeservice@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 11:03:52 +0100
Subject: RECOVERED FUNDS!2
Dear,
This email is to notify you that we have arrested some scammers claiming to be Staffs, Directors of beneficiaries and security Company with the sum of $600,000,000.00USD (six Hundred Million Dollar) which was transferred from deposited bank in the United Kingdom on mission to hide the whole money here in Nigeria.
>From our investigation we discovered that part of the money is absolutely yours as a Fund for your own usage with some document approved in your name as the legitimate owner of the money. However our investigation still made us clear that you supposed to have receive your money before now at the Bank where the money was deposited.
To protect the image of our country we have decide to get in touch with you for you to have your money back immediately, otherwise we shall forward it to the United Kingdom Monetary and Fund Department where it will be retain forever.
So in order for you to receive your money reply to: ( contact.policeservice@gmail.com ) with any proof of your identity and contact details or you can call the senior Officer In Charge of the case Mr. John Martin on telephone number +2348122728480 as soon as possible.
Nigeria Police Service.
Moammed Dahiru Abubakar.
Inspector General.
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Anti-fraud resources:
