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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "foreign remittance manager" (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)
- "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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- +22993043342 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- jacob.adams@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: jacob adams <jacobadams1@msn.com>
Reply-To: <jacob.adams@hotmail.fr>
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:57:43 +0000
Subject: URGENT
FROM MR JACOB ADAMS
FOREIGN REMITTANCE MANAGER.
WEST AFRICAN BANK (W.A.B)
BENIN REPUBLIC.
+229 93 04 33 42
DEAR ,
I KNOW THAT THIS MAIL WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE NEVER MET BEFORE.
I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF ($48.3MILLION DOLLARS UNITED STATES).AFTER HEARING FROM YOU I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETIALS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION IF YOUR INTERESTED REPLY ME WITH MY
PRIVATE E-MAIL :
I YOUR FULL NAME
2 AGE
3 SEX
4 OCCUPATION
5 YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS
6 YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
7 YOUR COUNTRY
THANKS
BEST REGARDS.
MR JACOB ADAMS
Email: jacob.adams@hotmail.fr
Anti-fraud resources:
