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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.
- 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.
- desmoloi43@mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- your family, desmond moloi, tel: +27 78 089 9962 email: desmoloi43@mail.com email: desmoloi43@yahoo.com (Mail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Desmond" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <desmoloi43@mail.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 07:17:50 -0500
Subject: Urgent response needed.
I am Mr. Desmond Moloi, Director South Africa Department of Mineral and Energy. I make this contact with you based on my need for assistance with a money transfer. This amount $30.5 Million represents over invoiced contract Value Executed on behalf of The Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced deliberately, of which the actual sum has been paid to the contractor that executed the contract. Should you be willing to assist me in this transaction?
Your share of the sum will be 20% of the $30.5 Million, 75% for us and 5% for taxation and Miscellaneous expenses. Please send your response to the below email or fax number.
This email should be treated as confidential as I am still in active service and I intend to finalize this transaction within 5-7 working days.
I will disclose more information to you as soon as we establish trust and your willingness to work with me.
My regards to you and your family,
Desmond Moloi,
Tel: +27 78 089 9962
Email: desmoloi43@mail.com
Email: desmoloi43@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
