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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "UN FINANCE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patrick.obiun5@indamail.hu>
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2022 10:32:46 -0600
Subject: [UN FINANCE ...]
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to inform you that your email address was among listed for the last quarter payment of the year Contract, Inheritance and Winning Claim Fund value
the sum of 5 Million dollars approved by the UN Finance
The fund will be released to you through our Approved Payment Channels as soon as we receive your response to this urgent notification. To avoid
bottlenecks, we have allocated you with a new International Payment Voucher Number: UK/BARCGB22 BGWB82UN-G, Approval Number: 7402-2011, and you must quote
these Identification Numbers during your response to this email for security reasons and proper identification.
1) You can receive your fund through our paying bank by Online banking transfer to enable you to access your account and transfer your fund into any
designated bank account of your choice by yourself.
2) You can receive your fund through ATM Card or Certify Bank Draft issue in your name to your mailing address.
Kindly indicate the mode of payment you consider most convenient for you to receive this fund as to allow us take further steps to that effect. Also
reconfirm the following information to us for final ratification exercise of your payment:
{Your Full Name:
{Your Contact Address:
{Your Direct telephone. Fax Number ( if any):
{Your AGE and what you do for a living
As soon as these Information are received, your payment will be duly processed
Thanks for your anticipated cooperation
Patrick Obi.
Sub Regional Officer West Africa.
United Nation Surveillance
patrick.obiun5@indamail.hu
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Anti-fraud resources:
