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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)
- "urgent assistance" (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.
- mariamture.2000@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mariam Ture <mariamture2000@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: mariamture.2000@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2013 22:27:44 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Please assist me
Dear One,
I'm Mariam Ture 22yrs,I humbly write to solicit for your partnership and assistance in transferring and investing of my inherited funds from my late Parent.
Please I need your kind and urgent assistance to transfer and invest this funds in your country and also come to your country to continue my educational carrier.
As soon as I receive your urgent reply indicating your interest to assist me for the successfully transfer of the funds to your country and come over to your country for my safety and continue my studies, I will give you all the necessary information you may require to proceed towards transferring the funds.
Finally, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total funds as mode of compensation for your effort for assisting me with this humble request as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within few days you signify your interest to assist me.
I will tell you more about myself and all my arrangements here as soon as I hear back from you, your interest to assist me and also build more trust to be able to have a better understanding.
Reply me back through my private email address for my security reason
mariamture.2000@yahoo.fr
Best Regard,
Miss Mariam Ture
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Anti-fraud resources:
