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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:
- "my names are " (a common phrase found 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev david" <franklin.james48@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: oceanicbankplc@yandex.com
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2013 07:52:07 -0400 (AMT)
Subject: Hello: Beneficiary,
contact Rev David for your approved $10.8M U.S.D E-mail:
oceanicbankplc@yandex.com
--
>From Federal Ministry of Finance
My names are Mrs. Shallot Martin
General Secretary F.M.F.S
Date/ 12/30/2013
Hello: Beneficiary, contact Rev David for your approved $10.8M U.S.D
E-mail: oceanicbankplc@yandex.com
Good day to you this is to bring to your knowledge our discovery of funds
worth $10.8M U.S.D deposited by THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL WHICH WAS
HANDED OVER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNTRY, Mrs. Martin Shallot) is the
one deposited your fund in Oceanic Bank, with GRANTS DEPARTMENT over (2)
three Months ago for you to invest in any profitable field in your country
and till date you have not come forward to claim or transfer your funds we
need your confirmation to transfer the funds into your home account.
We discovered that in the initial fund transfer there was a mistake in the
destination and it got to our branch in your name instead of your Country
and since then we have been searching for the original owner until we got
your new email address. Please confirm the information below for
correction or mistaken identity.
Finally send an identification of yourself to the Oceanic Bank for further
verification and transfer of your fund
Your Full Name:
Your Country / State
Your Address:
Your Direct Telephone Number:
Your Sex: Occupation: Age:
The Bank said that they don't need your bank details or any other details
than the one requested or mentioned above because the Oceanic Bank are
setting up an on-line account for you to be able to wire your funds into
your account remotely from any location in the world because your old
account is dormant.
Contact Rev. David Jonathan with this bellow Information:
Person to contact Rev. David Jonathan)
Email oceanicbankplc@yandex.com
Phone +229-976-128-29
Your urgent contact and response to the Bank is needed for them to proceed
with the authorization of your transfer. NOTE: We have received mails and
calls from people claiming that they are the beneficiaries of the said
funds one even said you authorized him to claim the funds on your behalf.
I want you to know that these funds will soon be made available to other
organization due to the Global recession if we don't have a detailed
confirmation of your authorization to transfer the said funds.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Federal Ministry of Finance Secretary
Mrs. Shallot Martin
(F.M.F) (G.S) General Secretary
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Anti-fraud resources:
