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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:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- 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.
- misstinaedward@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Tina Edward <"info."@blue.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Miss Tina Edward <misstinaedward@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2017 07:43:35 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention dear esteemed customer & beneficiary,
Attention dear esteemed customer & beneficiary,
I acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail from Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This is to inform and update you that all the necessary required certificates has been obtain and will be handed over to the departmental of Airport Custom Authority United States on your behalf. Those documents ascertains you as the Rightful owner to the said fund US$3.5 million dollar.
This was a compensation fund written and signs in your name by the United Nations Board of Auditors and United nation office of public affair and foreign fund remittance, I was delegated to carry out this project to see that you receive your fund in good condition without any hitches.
You are to contact me with your full name and phone number including your delivery address to locate your house. Meanwhile what is keeping me here is the airport Non-inspection Clearance Certificate which is to obtain from Benin Aviation Office. It will cost sum of $100 nothing more or less to obtain the certificate.
Don’t fail to get back to me with the requirements so that we obtain the certificate as instructed by law before I will proceed to your address tomorrow morning.
Yours faithfully,
Diplomat Tina Edward
(misstinaedward@gmail.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
