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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- 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.
- michaelcone122@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Charles Alex" <charlesalex7091@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2022 17:44:13 +0100
Subject: payment
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Re: Attention: to Your approved payment
I wish to use this medium to inform you that your full payment $1.5
million (One Million five Hundred Thousand Dollars) from Central Bank
of Benin has been approved for onward released to you via Visa ATM
card which you will use to withdraw all the $1.5 million in any ATM
machine in any part of the world but the maximum you can withdraw in a
day is $5,500 Only. We have mandated United Bank for Africa Benin to
send you the ATM Card and PIN CODE which you will use to withdraw all
your $1.5 Million in any ATM machine in any part of the world,
You are hereby advice to contact the Head of ATM Card Department of
United Bank for Africa Benin as follows: E-mail address: (
michaelcone122@gmail.com
) Contact person is Mr. Michael Cone
inform him that you received a message from the office of the Senate
instructing him to send you the ATM CARD and PIN CODE which you will
use to withdraw your $1.5 million in any ATM machine in any part of
the world. Also send him your direct phone numbers and contact address
where you want him to send the ATM
CARD and PIN NUMBER to you.
Thanks for adhering to this instruction and once again accept our
congratulations.
Mr. Alex Charles
Compensation Agency
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Anti-fraud resources:
