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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.
- 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: "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Pwrit_=B1b=B8=B9?=" <sales@zippy.com>
Reply-To: david_jackfbi1@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2014 07:58:21 +0800
Subject: Please get back to this office
Today at 12:43 PM
Our Ref: RTB /SNT/STB
To. Beneficiary.
Sir,
I am Special Agent David Jackson and am here in Nigeria as an FBI delegate
that has been delegated to investigate this fraudsters who are in the business
of swindling Foreigners that came for transaction in Nigeria . Please be
informed that during my investigation I got to find out that there is a huge
sum of $10.5million that has been assigned in your name( Beneficiary) and this
fraudsters are busy swindling you without any hope of receiving your fund.
NOTE: You are not suppose to pay that hug amount from the beginning before the
release of your fund can commence depending on how you want the transfer made
to you.
We have to inform you that we have made some arrested in respect of this
delayed over due fund. I have a very limited time to stay in Nigeria here so I
advise you urgently respond to this message .
I shall expect your response as soon as you receive this email. Please Note
that I have attached my Identification to this email. do not inform any of the
people that collected money from you before now about this new development, to
avoid jeopardizing our investigation. Attached is my ID, My direct phone
number +234 818 123 3220
Best Regard,
DAVID JACKSON
FEDERAL BUREAU INVESTIGATION NIGERIA DIVISION
INVESTIGATION ON ALL ONLINE WIRE TRANSFER
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Anti-fraud resources:
