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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:
- "% will be for you" (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)
- "urgent assistance" (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.
- wowens.s@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Owens Wilson <wowens01@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wowens.s@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 29 May 2010 12:57:50 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: HI
Hi
I am Dr. Owens Wilson, Director Contract Administrator working with the
Ministry of Finance here, here to solicit your urgent assistance to
claim the sum of US$22.4M (Twenty Two Million Four Hundred Thousand
United Stated Dollars).
The money was deposited in the affiliated reservoir Bank via Europe as
unclaimed Fund belonging to one of the Mrs.Janet Leech a Foreign
Contract who died with her entire Family on the Air crash.
The deal is a risk free and legitimate, furnish your private telephone
and fax numbers,home/office address together with scan copy of your
international passport or identity card and The 40% will be for you
while i take 60% . Contact me : wowens.s@hotmail.com
Regards,
Dr. Owens Wilson
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Anti-fraud resources:
