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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:
- "your urgent reply" (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 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.
- acmadrizki@uku.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Acmad Rizki" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <acmadrizki@uku.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:34:36 +0100
Subject: I wait for your Urgent Reply
Dear,
Sorry for the inconveniences of receiving this proposal. However, it
is due to the urgency of this. I am a Lawyer by profession, i major
in International Banking Laws/Investment.
I have a deceased private client who left a deposit of $10.000.000 USD
with A Bank . He left no WILL neither did he leave any Next of Kin to
inherit this fund. He was a victim of the Marrot/Ritz Calton Hotel Bomb
Blast on 27th july 2009 in Jakarta Indonesia.The bank has contacted
me as his Lawyer to locate any close associate or family member to claim
this fund.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8155084.stm.(Read more from here.)
I shall be willing to submit your references for this claim only on the
understanding that the funds be split 60-40 between us, with higher
share being mine. If you are interested in this proposal,please get
back to me at once with your full detailed information to my private
email address; acmadrizki@uku.co.uk
1) Full Names
2) Date of Birth
3) country of Origin
4) Occupation
5) Marital Status
6) Contact Address/Phone numbers.
7) Your bank account where the money will be transfered into.
I wait for your Urgent Reply.
Regards,
Acmad Rizki
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Anti-fraud resources:
