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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:
- "million united states dollars" (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.
- mrmariodraghi054@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Mario Draghi" <test@sosobuy.com.tw>
Reply-To: mrmariodraghi054@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 09 May 2017 07:55:20 -0700
Subject: Awaiting your urgent response
EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK GERMANY
ECB Office Sonnemannstrasse 20
60314 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Re-Outstanding Payment of $5.5Million United States Dollars.
=
Attention:
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This approval should not be treated as a surprise message, we received a di=
rect approval for your unpaid funds which we have officially accept to rele=
ase without any further delays.
Meanwhile, kindly advised to send the following information for immediate=
transfer of your fund:
=
1). Your Full Name-------------------------- ------------------------------=
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
2). Your Address-------------------------------------------------- =
Mobile Telephone/Fax-------------------------------------------------------
3). Yours Age and Occupation-----------------------------------------------=
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4). Your Bank Name---------------------------------------------------------=
---------------
Bank Address------------------------------------------
5). Your Account Numbers-----------------------------------
Swift----------------------------------
Routing------------------------
Bic---------- =
6). Copy of your ID.
Please you are advised to send these information immediately you receive t=
his mail so that we can commence on the transfer of your fund immediately.
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Your urgent response will be highly appreciated
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Awaiting your urgent response
=
Best Regard,
Mr. Mario Draghi
( mrmariodraghi054@gmail.com )
President of the European Central Bank Germany ( ECB)
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Anti-fraud resources:
