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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "robert mugabe" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- 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.
- maxwelubanko@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From:
Reply-To: <maxwelubanko@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2013 17:40:14 +0100
Subject: Family claim
Dear Friend,
Complement of the day to you and your love ones
I hope my email will arrive to you at good time.
My name is Mrs Ruth Ubank from the Harare city of Zimbabwe.
I am now 54 years old and retired immediately after my husband Ubanko kudakwa death.
I work in president Robert Mugabe office after pressure in my home with my husband family and my children I decided to retire.
Why I'm contacting you is to know if we can have a personal conversation over
my late husband property in netherland which was deposited before his death.
In the year 2010 my husband have a brief inlness which too his life and brought sorrow in my life and childrend lives.
I would not go far about his death because is painful to repeat the story again please.please be well informed that my first son is in the netherland political asylum camp attempting to claim this claim the my his father truck box containg the sums of seven million three hundred thousand united states dollars. The netherland
forbidden him to handle such transaction because he is not a citizen of the netherlands.
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I have call the company and explain that since my son could not handle such transaction that I am sending some who will help to claim the truck box. I dont know what you agree with, but with my heart I and my son offer to you 25% of the total amount as you go to meet my son will your good heart accept to claim my family truncks.I will appreciate whatever result you may brief me with good news to help us and get this claim.
Be informed we also intrested to acquire property in your country and
Do let me know your thought regarding this discussion.
In my next mail I will explain the full details of the trunck because it my reach to explain to you.,
and then we reach an agreement on what will be done after claim.
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You may as well tell me little more about yourself when replying to my mail, here is my son contact email below please fee free to contact him and help us out maxwelubanko@aol.com 0031 617646561
Waiting for your reply.
Thanks and best regards,
Mrs Ruth Ubanko Kudakwa.
Zimbabwean.
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Anti-fraud resources:
