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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:
- "million 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)
- "gracechay@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Grace Azizo" <investconsult2@clarofree.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: gracechhay@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2014 10:04:55 -0500
Subject: TO INVEST
My Dear ,
I was captured to do this business with you after going through your
profile. I want to invest US$29 Million dollars (Twenty Nine Million
dollars) in your country in any good profitable business,that is why I
am contacting you.
I am offering you 10% of the total money for your assistance. Onwards, I
will offer you 30% of the profit made during the course of the business
intended in your country which will be co-managed by you. Here in Syria,
nothing is moving for a long time now and I need to come over to your
country as soon as this money has been transferred to you so that I will
come over for good hospital treatment. I have been very sick for a long
time now and am in the hospital with my only daughter.
Reply me urgently so that I will send you more details with arrangement
I have made on how best this money can be transferred to you.
Reply me in my private email gracechay@outlook.com
Best regards
Mrs. Grace Azizo
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Anti-fraud resources:
