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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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.
- uniontelexdept@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "behonesttome@libero.it" <behonesttome@libero.it>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 21:55:11 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Pls read reply
Dear Fund Beneficiary,
We the Telex Transfer Dept have received the Transfer Authorization Letter
from the Board of Directors Union Bank Plc to transfer your contract payment of
$4,100,000.00 (Four Million One Hundred Thousand US Dollars) into your bank
account without any further delay.
Kindly provide us your bank account details as required below and send them to
our Telex Transfer Dept for the transfer of your fund to you within 72 hours:
Account Beneficiary......
Acc/No......
Swift Code (if any)......
Bank Name......
Bank Address.....
Telex Transfer Dept
E-mail: uniontelexdept@gmail.com
Phone Number: +234-81475 01667
Contact Person: Mr. John Bello
(Telex Transfer Director)
Also you have to send us your cell/mobile number we will use to send you the
credit alert SMS immediately we transfer your fund into your bank account.
Regards
Mr. John Bello
Telex Transfer Director
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Anti-fraud resources:
