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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- njoku_paschal@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: PASCHAL NJOKU <paschal.njoku@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: pn_nnpc@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:23:30 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Good Day. Please Your Immediate Reply Is Highly Needed.
Mr Paschal Njoku
Department of Sales and Marketing
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
Email: njoku_paschal@yahoo.com
Attn: Partnership Purpose
Good Day. Please Your Immediate Reply Is Highly Needed.
Good day my friend, I am Mr Paschal Njoku, Head of Task Force in the Department Of Sales and Marketing Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in charge Sales and liftmrnt of crude oil to foreigners.
I am currently in need of a silent and reliable foreign partner (Which I am sure you are)whose identity I can use to transfer the sum of $12,600,000,00 (Twelve Million Six Hundred Thousand U.S. dollars). This money is presently in a domiciliary account and is from an (OVER INVOICED) of Multi Billion Dollars Contract/Sales awarded to foreign firms here in my Department.
If iyou are sure that I can trust you in this transaction, send me an email so I can give you the full details.
I await your urgent reply..
Best Regards
Mr Paschal Njoku
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Anti-fraud resources:
