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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:
- "your payment is being processed" (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)
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- ",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)
- "central bank of nigeria" (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.
- 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.
- shausman861@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Usman Shamsudeen <u60670841@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2023 00:14:15 -0700
Subject: REPLY AND CALL ME
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
TEL : +234-803-3597230
SIR,
VERIFICATION OF YOUR PAYMENT INHERITANCE OF CONTRACT DEBT SETTLEMENT.
I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND WILL BE
RELEASED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU RESPOND TO THIS LETTER.
ALSO NOTE THAT FROM THE RECORD IN MY FILE YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT OF
US$10,500,000.00 (TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
IS READY FOR PAYMENT.
KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWING:
1) YOUR FULL NAME : ...............................................
2) YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS : .................................
3) PHONE, AND MOBILE # .................................
4) YOUR FULL BANK DETAILS : ...................................
5) YOUR OCCUPATION : .............................................
6) COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION : ................................
AS SOON AS THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS RECEIVED, YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO
YOU BY SWIFT WIRE TRANSFER INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.
YOU CONTACT ME AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MEMO FOR MORE DETAILS.
REPLY ME THROUGH THIS MY PRIVATE EMAIL : shausman861@gmail.com
REGARDS,
DR. USMAN SHAMSUDEEN
DIRECTOR : INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
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Anti-fraud resources:
