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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- norman.abogado@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Abogado" <hanzala@aitlbd.net>
Reply-To: norman.abogado@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2016 03:43:54 -0300
Subject: PLEASE GET BACK TO ME URGENTLY!!!!!
Attn:
I got your contact in course of my inquiry to locate relations of my
Deceased Client who died with his family in a car crash on 10th August
2009.Please I need your assistance to repatriate the sum of US$29.5M which
my Deceased Client left behind in a Finance Company.
The finance company in possession of the deposit that contains this fund
has been asking me to provide the next of kin since his demise and they
are threatening to confiscate the deposit as "Unclaimed Deposit". Rather
leaving the fund confiscated; based on the fact that you share the same
last name with my Deceased Client I seek your consent and assistance to
nominate you as my Deceased Client's Relation under legal process and risk
free to repatriate the fund as I have the jurisdiction as the Deceased's
P.A to testify the Deceased's Relationship with you.
Also I have the documents to complete the transaction. What I require is
your willingness to assist me and to treat the transaction as a personal
confidential matter until the conclusion. Contact me for further
information and commencement of the transaction.Email me to my private
box: Norman.Abogado@aol.com
Regards,
Norman A.
Attorney at Law
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Anti-fraud resources:
