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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:
- 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:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "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)
- "valentineibezim@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Charles Boateng" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <charlesboateng22@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 06:22:52 -0800
Subject: From Mr. Charles Boateng.
Our Ref: Payment
Notification Your Ref: Comply with Notice
Attn: Fund Beneficiary.
This is to officially inform you that we have completed the
transfer of US$10.5M {Ten Million Five Hundred United States
Dollars} to our foreign reserve account with the Backleys
Bank London in your favor, where this funds would be
released directly to you the beneficiary.
You are immediately advised to contact our fiduciary agent
in the United States of America who is to work hand in hand
with you to ensure that this fund reaches you as soon as
possible. Below is the contact detail of our fiduciary
agent,
Mr. Valentine Ibezim.
Fund Fiduciary agent/ Intermediary representative
Phone: 1 (520) 303 4485.
Email: valentineibezim@outlook.com
Be informed that this directive is from the office of the
presidency Federal Republic of Ghana and also in agreement
with the United States Government, International monetary
Fund, United Nations fund oversight office and the Federal
Reserve Bank New York.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Charles Boateng.
Publicity Personnel
Central Bank of Ghana {BANK OF GHANA}
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Anti-fraud resources:
