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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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.
- tonyelumelubj@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Patrick S. Martin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tonyelumelubj@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:02:36 +0100
Subject: Attn: Winner,
Attn: Winner,
We wish to inform you that your email address was automatically generated
during Winners Circle yearly International Online Promotions draw held in
Benin-Republic.
Your email address was generated with the Ref No: 4u9y which was among 5
other Lucky winners of $12.5 Million USD (TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND U.S.D) each.
We advise you to keep your winnings strictly confidential as the prize
will be void if there is any double claim with the same ref number.
Furthermore, this is how you can receive your Compensation Funds Award
worth the sum of $12.5 Million USD by an ATM Debit Master Card issued
directly from The "UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA.
So to effect the release of your winning funds valued $12.5,000,000.00 you
are advised to contact: Dr. Tony Elumelu with this contact information
below!
Name: Dr. Tony Elumelu
Email: tonyelumelubj@gmail.com
Prize Claims Manager
Send the details below.
Your Full Names:
Mobile Number:
Country:
City:
Sex:
Age:
Email:
Email2:
Occupation:
Home/Cell Phone:
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Patrick S. Martin
(Coordinator/ Online Publicity).
Copyright©2016 winners circle awards live Inc.
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Anti-fraud resources:
