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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.
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- 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.
- +2348058559199 (Nigeria, 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.
- pfreeman1@latinmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "PAUL FREEMAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pfreeman1@latinmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 20:21:54 +0100
Subject: Can We Work Together
Dear Friend
I am Mr. Paul Freeman an assistant director with the Nigeria National Petroleum co-operation contract award department. I was able to get your contact in my search for a suitable and trusted person who can help me receive the sum of $9.5 million dollars into personal or company account.
I want to also state that based on your personal qualities as a responsible person, I believe that you can handle this funds very well when it gets to your hand before I join you for the sharing of the funds between us.
Also I believe that the questions that will come to your mind on receiving this email are.
1-IS THIS MONEY LEGAL?
2-HOW DID I GET YOUR CONTACT?
3-WILL THIS COST YOU ANY MONEY TO ACTUALISE?
I wish to let you know that this transaction is 100% legal and legitimate because it came out of an over invoiced contract sum which has already been budgeted for disbursement by the Nigeria National Petroleum Co-operation hence my search for a reliable person.
Secondly, I came in contact with your contact while I was busy looking for a person to work out this transaction with.
Thirdly this transaction will cost you and me some money to conclude because we shall be expected to get some relevant documents to back it up before the funds is finally transferred to your nominated account but what ever we may spend will never and can never be compared with the funds that you and me will get at the end of the transaction which is $9.5 million dollars.
Finally I wish to let you know that all the relevant documents that we are to procure for the final approval of the funds in your favour has already been listed down and the cost per one already stated. All that is remaining is for you to accept the offer so that I can give you the details of the expected documents to be procured and the cost per each so that we can jointly contribute the money toward the procurement of the documents which will immediately fast track the approval of the funds in your favour.
I do believe that my explanation to you on this is very clear and hence I expect you to indicate your interest or not so that we can commence on the process of putting all things in order towards the conclusion of the transaction. One single working week will be enough to have this transaction concluded if we are committed to it.
You can reach me on my cell phone number at +234-8058559199
Or email me on: pfreeman1@latinmail.com
Remain blessed.
Mr. Paul Freeman
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