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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:
- "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- jeremy_b@lawyer.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Jeremy Biggs" <jeremybiggss@incelaw.com>
Reply-To: jeremy-biggs1@live.co.uk
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 22:35:10 -0300
Subject: Reference!
Dear Partner,
I am Mr. Jeremy Biggs a solicitor/Britain Counsel to Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra hereinafter
refers to as “our client”. I am writing base on his instruction to contact you for a
business and safe keeping plan therein.
Due to the Thailand Criminal Court judges against my client where Prosecutors in
Thailand have asked a court permanently to seize £1.2bn in frozen assets belonging to
the former prime minister. On this part, he instructed me as his Britain counsels to
carry out this investment/safe keeping plan which involved some of is financial assets
under your custody from one of his offshore private security account as a business
partner to him due to the Thai Government investigation plan so confiscate his entire
financial asset.
View More Of The Story Here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1108114.stm
Please, I am not instigating you to become maybe a conspirator in a financial crime.
This is going to be legally processed and will protect you against any breach of law in
either country thereafter. Amount involved and per cent age ratio will be disclosed in
our next letter after confirming your interest to assisting our client thereafter for
the transfer of the fund under your custody.
For further details about this proposal between you and our client thereon, send
response to the information below or call for further hearing.
Thanks for your co-operation on this matter!
Sincerely Yours,
Mr. Jeremy Biggs
Ince & Co. International Law Firm
1 St Katharine's Way, London
E1W 1AY United Kingdom
Tel: +44 792 458 1639
jeremy_b@lawyer.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
