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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Kristalina Georgieva <westernunionoffice2310@gmail.com>
Reply-To: kgeorgievakinova@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:31:34 +0100
Subject: I M F
--
GREETINGS TO YOU THIS MESSAGE IS FROM THE IMF.
We are writing to let you know that we are aware of all your
outstanding fund that is coming to you, Your legit consignment box
worth $1.5 million will be deliver to you i hope you are aware ? This
is compensation funds This is to bring to your notice that the United
Nations has ordered the management of Bank Of America to pay peoples
that has been scammed in any part of the world the UNITED NATIONS have
agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$1,500,000.00 each This
includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their
contract sum, and people that had an unfinished transaction
international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc We
found your number in our list and that is why we are contacting you.
Thank you Mrs Kristalina Georgieva managing Director IMF
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Anti-fraud resources:
