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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:
- "million united states 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "G.J.Durward" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gjdurward1932@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:31:42 +0100
Subject: The Release and Delivery of Your Fund.
This is to inform you that you package is under the custody of the customs and it is undergoing procedural examination,as soon as this process is completed I will deliver your long await package to you.
The package contains your long await fund of $17.7 Million United States Dollars and I have being mandated to deliver it to you.You do not have anything to worry about as regards the examination of your package by the customs because it has being sealed and the content is not known to them.Your package was declared as family valuables and it is in a Sealed Containment and there is a Special UN Seal Attached on it,the good news is that your fund will finally get to you because of the diplomatic status of your package.
I will deliver your package immediately after the examination is completed within the next two days.Provide the following information below to acknowledge the receipt of this notification.
Your Full Names:
Residential Address:
Occupation:
Age:
Telephone and Mobile Numbers:
Provide the above information as soon as possible to expedite actions.
I await your response.
Regards,
G.J.Durward.
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Anti-fraud resources:
