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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:
- "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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- +448712379642 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Larry Fardous" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr_larryfardous@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2012 13:26:02 +0530
Subject: GREETING FROM UNITED KINGDOM
MR. LARRY FARDOUS
UNITED KINGDOM.
REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE.
Greetings From United Kingdom,
This message might put you in (utmost surprise) however, it's just my urgent
need for Asia/Middle East partner that
made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from
the United Kingdom and currently holding
the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the bank.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds of 3.5million USD
(Three Million Five Hundred Thousand
UNITED STATES DOLLARS) our bank deceased customer late Mr Prabathkumar
Attavar, who died on an Air India Express,
Boeing 737-800 arriving from Dubai crashed Saturday 22ND May 2010 as it
overshot a runway while trying to land in
southern India.
Please see the website below:
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article435569.ece
http://www.airsafe.com/plane-crash/air-india-express-flight-812-boeing-737-mangalore-india.htm
Hence i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared
between us in the ratio of 70/30 as a
brotherhood.
If you agree to my business proposal, further details of the transfer will be
forwarded to you as soon as i receive
your return mail.
Respectfully yours
Mr.Mr Larry Fardous
TEL: +448712379642
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Anti-fraud resources:
