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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 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Marla Shapiro <marlashapiro814@gmail.com>
Reply-To: marla.shapiro@yandex.com
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2017 17:48:59 +0000
Subject: Reply
Beloved Trusted Friend ,
Happy Day, How are you and your family my Dear???, Please why you have
not shown concern on the fund transaction of Five Million United
States Dollars that i meant for you to use for charity and
humanitarian work. I think I have contacted you on this matter before
now.
Please due to much delay and not showing concern in this matter I was
helped by someone and the fund is set to credited to an International
bank in UNITED KINGDOM and i want you to contact the bank in UK and
receive the fund for the charity work. You will only be required to
open online bank account with the bank in UNITED KINGDOM and the fund
lodged into your online bank account and you will the fund access of
the bank from anywhere in the world then you will transfer the fund in
your local account in your country for proper use as i will direct if
my creator still allow me to live.
Please contact me for proper guiding as soon as possible as i am very
sick and i want you to have access to this fund now that i am alive..I
will be waiting to hear from you as soon as possible.
Regards and God bless,
marla shapiro,
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Anti-fraud resources:
