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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:
- "the true beneficiary of the funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "30% for you " (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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- remit.dept.accessbankplc@mail.com (Mail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Access Bank Plc.
Reply-To: remit.dept.accessbankplc@mail.com
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 07:58:20 +0200
Subject: Urgent release of funds
Hello My Friend.
My name is James Madu from the swift transfer department of the Access Bank Plc. Victoria Island lagos Nigeria. i am contacting you for a mutual business proposal that will be of good benefit for both of us.
Myself and my colleagues in the department have discovered the huge sum of money amounted to $21.5million lying down in the Dormant account without anyone to claim the funds, we later found out that it belongs to a family in the South west Nigeria that was involved in Dana Airplane in the year 2012 and since them no trace of their relatives /next of kin to come up for the claim of this funds.
I want you to stand as their next of kin to claim the funds,myself and my colleagues will use our position in the bank to put all legal papers in place which will be endorsed on your name as our late client's family relative and next of kin to enable the bank release the funds into your account ,and the sharing ratio will 30% for you and 70% for me and the other colleagues,be rest assured that this transaction will be 100% risk free and all modalities will be legally put together on your name as the true beneficiary of the funds.
Therefore, if this proposal interest you kindly send your full contact details immediately to for proceedings. I look forward to hear from you.
Best Regards,
James Madu
Access Bank Plc.
Victoria Island lagos Nigeria.
Email:remit.dept.accessbankplc@mail.com
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