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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:
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- +447035917992 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr. Smith Steve" <iboriholdingsplc@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: barr.smithsteve@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:23:22 +0200
Subject: WHAT'S YOUR DECISION.
Attn.
Mr/Master/Mrs/Miss:
I am Barr. Smith a solicitor to my deceased client Late Philip Bergman an
International Business man who was very kind, hard working and a great
philanthropist but died in a car accident 7years ago and made her only
daughter
the next of kin to all his landed properties and funds in the security company
in worth of $15 miilion United states Dollars whom the daughter also gave us
your contact address as the next of kin just in case anything goes wrong and
ever since the funds
have been laying down at the security company dormant cos Miss Christiana
Bergman (Daughter) has been no where to be found and every attempt to
reach her
within the past 6years has been abortive and the funds are about being taking
into the government treasure house so now i seek your consent as the
next of kin
to Miss Christiana Bergman (Daughter), weather to have the funds
taking into the
government treasure house or brought right to you at your location please get
back to me as soon as possible so as to know what to do with the funds.
Please i need you to acknowledge this mail by writing back just to be
sure this
email address is yours and active, also get back to me with the
following details:
Full Name:
Home or office address:
Direct cell no:
Age:
Sex:
Occupation:
Hoping to read from you soonest as we don't have much time left.
Barr. Smith (Esq)
+447035917992
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