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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Edward J. Labo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <acdjude@yandex.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2016 23:38:48 +0100
Subject: APPROVAL PAYMENT OF US$8.5M
From the Desk of: Director General
African Foreign Debt Management Council
To Dully Beneficiary
It delight this office to notify you of your overdue contract/inheritance payment which you were denied over the years by the African Region due to some reasons as indicated in your payment file after much verification such as duplication of account and demand of high fees by respective agent and associate.
In view of this, the Federal Ministry of Finance in Collaboration with the African Union after the just concluded submit of the African Union held in Ethiopia has given an Approval for a Part Payment of USD8.5M to you.
You are advice to get back to this office with your full name, address and direct telephone number within 48 hours to claim your fund, we use this opportunity to warn you against further communication with any agent or associate as this might put the entire Swift Transfer in lapses.
This is for your own interest and to protect the interest of this region from being held reliably for you not receiving your fund within the specific period of time as mandated by this commission.
Once again we congratulate you in advance.
Mrs. Susan Moses
Secretary
For
Edward J Labo
Director General
African Foreign Debt Management Council
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Anti-fraud resources:
