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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- unionbplc@europe.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Stephen Cobb QC" <scobbqc@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: stephen.cobb@qq.com
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2015 01:10:25 -0800
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION IS NEEDED
Dear account owner,
Please be informed that we have discovered a floating payment in your name but surprisingly with a Power of Attorney in your file authorizing the transfer of this fund to a Cayman Island bank account.
We have contacted you because I needed to verify this from you to ascertain if you have actually authorized the transfer of this fund into the bank account below of Mohammad Sabtu who claimed to be your partner.
Bank name: BFC International Bank
Bank Address: Georgetown, Cayman Islands
Bank FAX: 1-866-328-3507
Account number: 1087564120
Swift number: 487654
Account name: Mohammad Sabtu
If you have not authorized your fund transferred to the above stated bank account, please contact us at the transfer department urgently at - unionbplc@europe.com.
Your full details below are also required.
Your full names and address
Your direct telephone number
A copy of any of your Identifications
The account into which the fund will be transferred.
Sincerely yours,
Stephen Cobb
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Anti-fraud resources:
