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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:
- "million 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)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- 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: "Payment Approval Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unityfinancetrustinternationlban@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2015 22:12:38 -0000
Subject: Re: Your $10.5 Million Dollars is credited into your Bank Account
Dear Beneficiary,
We write to notify you that our bank has received a credit instruction from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC),Financial Security Authority (FSA) UK and the European Financial Service to release $10.5 million dollars into a non-resident online bank account to you as the beneficiary. Considering our International Banking Policy ,Credibility and competence our bank credited $10.5 million dollars into non-resident online bank account on your name.
You will have access to login to the account through our bank website and transfer/move money from the non-resident online account to your bank account in your country. Once you receive this message, forward your information as requested below to enable us supply you the detail to login and transferring your money.
Full Names____
Address______
Tel_________
Copy of ID Card ____________
Thanks For Your Co-operation
Mr. Austin Godwin
Management Unity Finance Trust Bank
Phone: +229-991-677-13
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Anti-fraud resources:
