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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:
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- federalministryoffinance.paul@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Rev Dr James Long" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <JamesLongconsultant@mail.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:39:21 +0100
Subject: Receive Your Fund Now Via ATM Card
ATM VISA CARD UNITS
LAGOS NIGERIA.
Tel: +234-80-90670538
Email:federalministryoffinance.paul@googlemail.com
Attn:
Sir/Madam
With due respect and honor, We are instructed by the senate committee on financial matters to contact you in respect of your fund of USD $10.5.Million United States Dollars which you stand in as the bona-fide beneficiary of the outstanding fund as the whole fund was programmed and loaded into ATM VISA CARD to be send to your home address.
However, You are required not to send any money to us rather than our accredited delivery company that will deliver your card because all the official fees has been waved out by the senate, this office only require the below information for the shipment of the card to enable you receive your card by our accredited delivery company without any hitch.
More so, soon we receive the require information, we shall speedy the process of the shipment of your card also be advise to keep this information confidentially due to what is going on the internet also to avoid ATM CARD theft by some internet hackers.
We look forward in hearing from you and call this office +234-80-90670538 for more directives and any financial institution that ask you to make any payment regarding this consider it hoax because this office will direct you till you receive your fund since this fund is still under our custody also remember to refurnish us with all the information required .
Full Name
Full Address
Marital Status
Occupation
Age
sex
Valid Identification Card / International Passport
Mobile /House phone Number
Thanks,
Rev Dr James Long
Director of Operations.
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Anti-fraud resources:
