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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Thierry Tanoh" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ttanoh1955@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:36:22 +0100
Subject: IMMEDIATE ACTION
ATTN: FUNDS BENEFICIARY,
This is to bring to your notice that your inheritance funds payments which was initially programmed to be paid to you by your paying bank here in Lagos Nigeria.
The payments is now mandated to be paid via Ecobank here in Nigeria due to over delays and several fraud/diversions attempts.
I am one of the bank's Director,in other for you to avoid paying any charges or taxes due the transmissions,I have arranged with the security officers of the bank to allow me into the T/T room when the offices are closed so that I can swiftly effect the transfers direct in your banking coordinates as provided by you.
I am contacting you because I have discovered that other directors are about imposing taxes into your payments which might frustrate you in securing the payments.
If you want me to proceed on the transfers today without any hitch across the transfers,let me know what you will reward me as soon as I complete the transfers without any disappointments? Also let me know if you want the transfers to commence on the same bank account?
Please,I am serious on completing this,send me your telephone/fax numbers to receive the wire confirmations slip.I also demand for a promissory note on what you will reward to me after the transactions.
Yours faithfully
Thierry Tanoh
Group Chief Executive Officer
http://www.ecobank.com/group/board.aspx
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Anti-fraud resources:
