419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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 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.
- +447045747054 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- drfrankthompson20@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: info@alostoora.net
Reply-To: drfrankthompson20@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2015 12:49:13 +0000
Subject: Re:Did you Authorize Mr.David L. Nielsen to Represent For Your Fund
?Please Confirm To Us Immediately ..

FINANCIAL ACTION TASK FORCE ON MONEY LAUNDERING (FATF)
& INTER GOVERNMENTAL ACTION GROUP AGAINST MONEY
LAUNDERING (GIABA)

Be informed that we have officially approved the part payment of your
Overdue Inheritance/Contract entitlements programmed to be paid to
you, following series of documents tendered by your Representative Mr.
David L. Nielsen, and your Attorney Barrister John Swatz, of J. Swatz
& Associates.

They have presented a "Power of Attorney" duly signed by you in which
was clearly stated that due to certain prevailing circumstances beyond
your control, you could not finalize the payment process yourself,
thus appointing Mr. D.L. Nielsen to act on your behalf. All payment
documents have been forwarded to our appointed bank to pay the said
amount to them.

Therefore, confirm if the said Man and Attorney are your True
Representatives, before our final order payment. Find below the
account information they have presented for the transfer on your favor:

A/C Name: Blue Bell Realty, Inc.,
Bank: JP Morgan Chase Bank,
1 Chase Manhattan Plaza,
New York , NY.10081
Bank Routing #:021000021
A/C #:227863934766

Always reply to this email( drfrankthompson20@gmail.com )

We look forward to your swift response.

Yours truly,
Thomas frank.
Tel:+44-7045747054

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam