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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 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)
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- 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.
- missestheremmanuel1022@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "E.F.C.C"<test@iphoster.net>
Reply-To: emmanuelesther4069@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 07:48:32 -0400
Subject: From Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu
ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC). EFCC in alliance with economi=
c community of West African states (ECOWAS) with head Office here in Nigeri=
a. We have been working towards the eradication of fraudsters and scam Arti=
sts in Western part of Africa With the help of United States Government and=
the United Nations and some corrupt official adminstrators Mr Ibrahim Lamo=
rde has been sacked who happen to be the former EFCC chairman. This email i=
s being directed to you because your email address was found in one of the =
scam Artists file and computer hard disk in our custody here in Nigeria and=
with the information gartered from this Scam artist, you notice that you h=
ave been scammed of so much money and have decided to compensate you with a=
little token to recover the lost of your fund. You are therefore being com=
pensated with the total sum $ 2.5 Million Dollars. We have also arrested al=
l those who claim that they are barristers, bank officials, Inheritance, Lo=
ttery Agents who has money for transfer or want
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: missestheremmanuel1022@gmail.com
CELL PHONE: +234 902 469 0348
Provide the information below to enable the processing of your Online Ban=
king Account for deposition of your total compensated fund.
1) YOUR FULL NAME.
2) YOUR ADDRESS.
3) YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4) YOUR OCCUPATION =
5) YOUR IDENTITY.
6) COUNTRY
Contact MISS ESTHER EMMANUEL with the information required for verificatio=
n to enable her start the processing of your Online Banking Account Registr=
ation.
We guarantee your safety and wish you the best of luck
. Best Regard,
Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu
CHAIRMAN ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION
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Anti-fraud resources:
