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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:
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- juliustomari2341@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR. JULIUS TOMARI" <mr.juliustomari705@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: juliustomarl234@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 08:38:42 -0400
Subject: Attention: Funds Beneficiary
(CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA)
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
TELEX / COMPUTER DEPARTMENT
TINUBU SQUARE
ABUJA - NIGERIA
I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE EMAIL BASED ON THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE
TRANSACTION.
PLEASE, I WILL LIKE TO ADVISE IF AFTER GOING THROUGH MY PROPOSAL AND
YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. AS OF THIS MOMENT,
I AM STILL IN SERVICE WITH (CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA).AND I WILL NOT
BY ANY MEANS LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB, IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
I HAVE PUT IN OVER 23 YEARS IN THIS BUT I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO
SHOW FOR IT. THIS IS JUST MY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE MY
CHILDREN A DECENT TRAINING SINCE MY GOVERNMENT WHICH IS CORRUPT HAS
REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY. INFACT I AM SICK AND TIRED
OF EVERYTHING HERE I NEED TO GET OUT. I FOUND OUT THAT YOU ALMOST MET
ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF YOUR PAYMENTS. PLEASE BE
EQUALLY ADVISED THAT NO SECURITY COMPANY IN AFRICA CAN HANDLE YOUR
CONTRACT PAYMENTS/INHERITANCE FUND WITH ANY WITHOUT THE INSTRUCTIONS
OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT WITH MY POSITION HERE AT CENTRAL BANK OF
NIGERIA, I CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS UNDER FIVE WORKING DAYS. BUT WE HAVE TO
REACH AN AGREEMENT. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU
WILL GIVE ME AT THE CONSUMMATION OF THIS DEAL. GET BACK TO ME ON THIS
EMAIL: juliustomari2341@yahoo.co.uk
MR. JULIUS TOMARI
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Anti-fraud resources:
