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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "first national bank" (not involved with lotteries)
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. James Thomas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jamesthomas8080803@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2016 22:01:35 +0100
Subject: FROM MR. JAMES THOMAS.
Dear Recipient,
We are to notify you that part payment have been approved for your
long overdue lump sum. This decision was made last week during an
executive meeting where it was decided that all financial organization
and all Nations Central banks and financial institutes should pay all
outstanding deposits and goodwill offers which has been held by
Governments or banks due to beneficiary’s inability to meet up with
high transfer charges.
With this development, a woman by name (Colette Ballard) came to our
office with an application stating that you gave her the power of
attorney to be the beneficiary of your outstanding lump sum. She made
us to believe that you are dead. We got your email address through our
data base and decided to send an email through this address hoping to
find out if you are dead or alive and also to find out if you at any
time gave this woman the power of attorney to represent you.
Please let us know also if you are aware that we are almost ready to
transfer part payment of your outstanding funds to her nominated bank
account as stated below:
First National Bank
2008 Pratt Ave. Bellevue
Nebraska 68123
Account Number 20172378410
Routing Number 104000016.
Beneficiary: Colette Ballard
If you are not aware of the above instruction, do respond to this
email for immediate transfer of your funds.
Be informed that you are not allowed to correspond or contact any
person or office with respect to this transfer other than this office.
If you are still alive, you should reconfirm your information below;
(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Your Full Contact Address:
(3) Your Direct Mobile Line:
(4) Your Private Fax No:
(5) Your company name if any:
(6) Your occupation:
(7) Your age:
(8) Your Full Banking Details Where the funds will be transferred into.
Thanks,
Mr. James Thomas
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Anti-fraud resources:
