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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- benadej8@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Johan Benade" <johanbenade1@outlook.com>
Reply-To: benadej8@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 05:28:44 -0500
Subject: Inheritance
>From the Desk of Investment Division Unit.
Email id:benadej8@gmail.com
Good day,
I hope this message finds you in good spirit. I am working with a bank. I
just discovered an abandoned large sum of fund totaling (US14.5 Million)
belonging to one of our late foreign customers. The late client was
involved in a car accident in the year 2009 along with his wife and three
children, who all passed away.
I am writing to seek for your partnership to claim the estate of the
deceased since there is no other known relative to claim his estate as
shown on his record with the bank. If interested, I will so much
appreciate you reconfirm your contact details to me immediately so that I
can contact you with more details, as to enable us file for the estate as
time is of high essence. Please email me on my private email as given for
more details (benadej8@gmail.com)
This is my second but final attempt to reach you in view of this subject
matter.
Kind Regards,
Johan Benade
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Anti-fraud resources:
