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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:
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- lawrence_francis099@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Vera Johnson." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lawrence_francis099@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:35:33 -0400
Subject: The Fund Beneficiary.???
The Fund Beneficiary
This is to inform you that the IMF just discovered a US$15.5m owed to you in Africa through the IMF Central Data System and a part payment of US$10.5 Million has been approved to be paid to you through an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Card.
I have registered the ATM CARD with the FedEx COMPANY this morning as directed and the delivery will take off tomorrow morning based on the agreement with the FedEx Director .lawrence Francis. His Phone no is:(+234)704696386. and the only fee you will send to him is their delivery fee of $385 only. So contact and ask him for the payment information you will use to send him the $385, MOST IMPORTANTLY: re-confirm your current delivery data"s below..
1. Your full names.
2. Current phone number.
3. Address where you want the card to be delivered.
4. A scanned copy of your Photo I.D, Drivers' Licence or International Passport for identification.
5. Age.
6.Occupation.
And contact him via his email address: (lawrence_francis099@hotmail.com). The amount processed in the ATM Card is US$10.5 Million and the PIN code of your ATM CARD is: {0608}.
Thanks.
Mrs. Vera Johnson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
