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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:
- "top of the day to you" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",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)
- 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.
- freemanchambers1@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "David Freeman LLP." <info@info.org>
Reply-To: freemanchambers1@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 15:28:31 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Humble Request From A Friend
Top of the day to you my Good Friend. I will like to solicit for your
time, co-operation and understanding as well as your assistance in getting
the funds of £7,500,000 GBP deposited by my Late Client, Mr. Williams Cole
in a Bank here in the United Kingdom in the year 2003.The funds are to be
confiscated by the British Treasury for being dormant.You will be entitled
to 45% if you can help to receive these funds from the Bank as the
Beneficiary. Please respond to my private email below:
EMAIL: freemanchambers1@yahoo.com.hk
Thanks For Your Time,
David Freeman LLP.
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Anti-fraud resources:
