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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: BARR JOHN DARK <barrjohndark@rocketmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 04:40:33 -0700
Subject: Call me immediately you receive this mail
>From Barr John Dark
Legal Practitioner and Consultants
No:5 Bricks Field Street Lagos Nigeria
Telephone +234-80-7619-8285
Attention: ,
Owing to the outcry of beneficiaries over unending charges in the course of transfer of their fund.The United Nations contracted the service of this legal office to process the bond agreement between you the federal government of Nigeria and the commercial payment bank which you are choose between the two mode of payment either through programmed ATM Card or bank to bank transfer as enlisted by the bank after meeting with management with this nothing whatsoever will stop you from receiving the programmed ATM Card within 72 hours that is three banking days likewise the transfer .
In avoidance of error,you are to reconfirm your receiving address banking details for notarization and attestation of release order seal.
Prompt response will expedite action on the payment process.
Yours Faithfully,
Barr John Dark Esq
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Anti-fraud resources:
