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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- +31644654650 (Netherlands, 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "STEVE MORGAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stevesmorgan10@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:21:11 +0200
Subject: CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED.
Good day,
My name is Steve Morgan; I work with the Finance Monetary Unit here in the
Netherlands. I found your address through my countries international Web
directory.
During our last annual inspections of all various bank accounts here in the
Netherlands, My department found a dormant account with an enormous sum of
US$ 6,500,000.00 (Six Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollar) which was
deposited by one late Mr. Williams.
>From My investigation he had no beneficiary or next of kin to claim these
funds.
I will need us to work together if you are interested and I assure you that
I will provide all useful information’s and documentation that we enable us
transfer this funds into your bank account legally without any problem.
Write me directly with your contacts on this email;stevesmorgan10@gmail.com
or you can call me on 0031-644-654-650 at anytime.
Best Regards,
Steve Morgan
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Anti-fraud resources:
