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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:
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- info1131@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "STEVEN AMAH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info1131@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 26 May 2022 17:41:31 -0700
Subject: Attn Valid Beneficiary
FROM INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
FIRST BANK NIGERIA PLC
35 ASABA HOUSE LAGOS NIGERIA
FOR MORE DETAILS CALL +2349025801705
CONTACT EMAIL: info1131@aol.com
Attn Valid Beneficiary
This is to inform you today that your total fund worth seven million
five hundred thousand dollars {$7.5m} after our meeting with financial
department of ministry with central bank executive governor on 25th
May 2022 to over due foreign delay payment, this first bank has been
mandated to release your accumulated interest of three hundred and
fifty thousand united state dollars{$350,000.00}generated from your
total fund through ATM master card to your home address which you
will provide upon your respond.
Your hereby advice to update me with your current home address where i
will deliver your ATM card with minimum balance of seventy five
dollars only {$75} for insurance fee.Once again feel free to get back
to me as soon as possible to enable me serve you better.
I await for your quick response
Steven Amah
foreign remittance operation
First Bank
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Anti-fraud resources:
