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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:
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATIONS ( ATM CARD )" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unitednations.compenn@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 13:58:51 -0600
Subject: RE ; YOUR ATM CARD IS READY
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE LONDON ENGLAND
ATM CARD SECTION .
RE : YOUR ATM CARD OF $3.5M IS READY
It has come to our notice that the sum of ( $5m usd ) has been credited in
your name for transfer and is currently floating in my branch for over 5
years now with out you coming forward for claims after several notice has
been served to you .
I was informed that the money is eighter your contract or lotto winning
payment which was due to you and was not remmited to you after you
have paid some high charges and fees some years ago.
Please bear in mind that Under the stipulated commonwealth nations Law
of the Government of UNITED STATE OF AMERICA and other member
countries of the United Nations, any huge amount of money that has been
found in the international computer data system waiting to be transferred
without claims for a period of 5 years or less, shall be confiscated and
forfeited to the United Nations account.
We do hereby ask you to contact this office immediately for ratification within
the next 7 days of this notice or consider your fund confiscated because this
is the final notice .
We appreciate your urgent co-operation on this notice to enable us serve you
better .
Please reply ASAP
Thanks yours sincerely
MICHAEL BROWN
BANK OF AMERICA
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Anti-fraud resources:
