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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:
- "required fee " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- +447045752371 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Diretoria de Vigil=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=E2ncia_a_Sa=FAde?=" <dvs@joaopessoa.pb.gov.br>
Reply-To: chrlsstanley907@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:51:30 -0200
Subject: YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL IS NEEDED
Dear Fund Trustee,
This is in regard to the Graham Robert trust fund that was willed to you for
the sole purpose of charity. If I check correctly you were willed the sum of
US$155,600,000(One Hundred and Fifty Five million Six Hundred thousand United
States Dollars) by the late Graham Robert. I expected that by now you should
have been able to accomplish all requirements by the transferring bank to
meet up the transfer procedures by the bank. I have been away on official
assignment and was not able to send you update email regarding graham Robert
trust fund, I expected that you should have sent me update email regarding
the said fund, to indicate your commitment towards claiming the graham Robert
trust fund, so as to avoid doubt from the part of the British high court
regarding your competence in claiming the fund willed to you by late Graham
Robert for charity.
I received an update email from the transferring bank and they advised that
you act fast and claim the Graham Robert fund as the British High court will
soon confiscate the funds if you don’t have it transferred ASAP. I urge you
at this point to kindly act fast and proceed and pay the required fee by the
transferring bank to ensure that the bank completes the transfer process as
soon as possible to avoid disclaimer of the fund by the British High court.
I await your swift response to this email.
Have a nice day
Charles Stanley
+447045752371
+447045752368
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Anti-fraud resources:
