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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:
- "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)
- "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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- 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.
- barr.gregoryapril@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Barrister Gregory April <gregoryapril@ok.net>
Reply-To: barr.gregoryapril@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 07:30:20 -0800
Subject: Hope to hear from you
Hello Dear,
I am Mr. Gregory April from Benin Republic West Africa I have emailed
you earlier without a response. In my first email I mentioned about my
late client from your Country an engineering contractor who died on
the 27th May 2009 in an auto accident with his wife and their only son
on the highway road heading to Togo here in Benin Republic while going
on vacation holidays whose relatives I cannot get in touch with.
I am compelled to do this because I would not want the bank to push my
client's funds worth of ($14.5 million dollars) Fourteen Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars into the bank treasury as
unclaimed inheritance. This mail is written and intended to solicit
your assistance to be presented as the HEIR to my late client since
you are from his Country and bare the same surname and only a
foreigner can lay claims on this inheritance.
The Governing Body of the Bank has contacted me on this matter and I
am yet to provide the HEIR to lay claims to the Fund. Under a clear
and legitimate agreement with you, I shall seek your consent to be
presented as the HEIR so that my late client's fund will not be
confiscated by the Bank and pushed into the bank treasury as unclaimed
bills.
For the sake of Transparency on this matter, you are free to make
immediate contact for further clarification and explanation on this
matter. I will need you also to reconfirm you’re:
1. Full Name:
2. Age:
3. Occupation:
4. Marital Status:
5. Residential Address:
6. Office and home Telephone number
Thank you very much for your anticipated acceptance while we expect
your prompt response to this matter as the urgency demands.
Best Regards,
Barrister Gregory April (ESQ)
Telephone. +229-6460-0616
E-mail: barr.gregoryapril@gmail.com
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