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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:
- "i will like you to " (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)
- 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.
- george_anderson@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "ANDERSON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <george_anderson@sify.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:29:19 -0800
Subject: GOOD DAY
CAPITAL CITY BANK PLC
5/6 ROMES ROAD, V/ISLAND
PARK VEIW.W9,SE43
QRT: 92018345 QUEENSBOULE
HELLO DEAR.
my name is MR GEORGE ANDERSON i work with capital city bank plc .i have $10.5milion dollars to be transfered into your account.this money belong to our late customer mrs sandra williams who died many years ago and left the money in our bank as unclaimed.i am her account officer and the bank has instructed me to look for the next of kin to late mrs sandra williams which i have tried to locate any of her relation but all my effort no avail.
i want to present you to the bank as the next of kin to late mrs sandra williams so the $10.5million dollars will be transfered into your account and both of us will share the money as agreed.you will be having 40%of the total sum while me and my colleague
will have 55% and 5% will be for any expense incure on this if there will be any.all the legal documents in regards to the sucees of this transaction will be provided by alawyer.
if my offer is ok for you and i will like you to contact me on this my private email address (george_anderson@sify.com)on getting your reply and i will furnish to you more information on this
regards.
MR GEORGE ANDERSON
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Anti-fraud resources:
