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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:
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "EKE BENSON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bensoneke@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2017 22:48:43 +0100
Subject: HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.
Zaria Street, Garki II, Abuja, Nigeria,
Remittance Department.
PHONE: +234-81 25800402.
Attn: Sir
How are you today? Hope that you are doing fine.
I am Mr. Benson Eke the director remittance Central bank of Nigeria. Please I seek your consent to work with me so that i can present you as the beneficiary $10 million United State Dollar unclaimed in our apex bank.
This fund originated from over inflated contract executed during the turnaround maintenance of our two refineries in Kaduna and Warri by the former minister of Petroleum who asked me to look for a trustworthy person that we can use to get the money out of this country for our mutual benefits.
The only thing I needed to take up the deal is your consent to keep this deal confidential because I have perfected plans for the smooth processing and transferring of the fund to any of your nominated account anywhere in the world. We only need to get the whole approval on your behalf from our Government.
With my position that is not problem because I know how to go about that as far as this nation is concern.
Thanks and waiting your urgent response.
Regards,
Benson Eke.
Director Remittance.
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Anti-fraud resources:
