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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:
- "million united states 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)
- "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)
- "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- ppsmith1221@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: ATM CARD COMPENSATION <frowes@beraksaltd.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <ppsmith1221@sify.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2013 15:28:03 +0300
Subject: ATM CARD COMPENSATION
Attention: ATM Card Beneficiary,
I wish to use this medium to inform you that your CONTRACT/INHERITANCE Payment of (US$4.5) Four Million Five hundred thousand US dollars only from ASIA have been RELEASED and APPROVED for onward Transfer to you through an ATM CARD after our meeting with United Nations and International monetary fund (IMF)which you will use to withdraw all the US$3.5Million United States Dollars in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world,But the maximum amount you can withdraw daily is the sum of USD$5,000.00 only.
We the board of trustees of United Nations/IMF have also mandated the British Government designated bank to send your ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER to you which you will use to withdraw all your USD$3.5Million in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world. You are therefore advised to contact the DIRECTOR OF ATM CARD OPERATIONS in U.K with the information stated below: ppsmith1221@sify.com
CONTACT PERSON: Dr Peter Smith, THE DIRECTOR OF ATM CARD OPERATIONS, EMAIL address : ppsmith1221@sify.com
We wish to use this opportunity to express our sincere apology over your plight in the past Years and we wish to assure you of prompt receipt of your fund through ATM Card.
Thanking you in advance for your anticipated cooperation.
ATM COMPENSATION DEPARTMENT
UNITED NATIONS
UNITED KINGDOM
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Anti-fraud resources:
