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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:
- "because it still remains the fastest medium of communication" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand us 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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
- idrisbinazizi2010@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Idris Azizi" <idris.a@att.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: idrisbinazizi2010@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:32:04 +0530
Subject: SEEKING FOR YOUR CONSCENT
Kind Attn:
I am Mr. Idris Bin Azizi Senior Accountant & the Auditor General of
one of the new generation Bank here.
Though, this medium (Internet) has been greatly abused,But I choose to
reach you through it because it still remains the fastest medium of
communication. However, this correspondence is unofficial and private,
and it should be treated as such.
During our investigation and Auditing in the Bank, in my department I
came across an abandoned sum of money ( Eight Million Five Hundred
Thousand US Dollars ) In an account that belongs to one of our foreign
customers who died along with his entire family.
I wish to know if we can work together such that you can stand as his
Next of Kin to a Fixed Deposit of US$8.5M which he made to our Bank. He
died and left nobody behind as his Next of Kin.
Please get back to me by phone or email idrisbinazizi2010@gmail.com, If
you are interested to know more about this transaction.
Yours sincerely
Mr. Idris Bin Azizi
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Anti-fraud resources:
