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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- jerek_savimbi79tg@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: jerek savimbi79tg <j.savimbi79tg@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:35:28 +0200
Subject: I will want you to stand as the next of kin to my late client
Dear Friend,
I wish to request your ardent attention to this very important message
Permit me therefore to intimate you about my intention of contacting you
through this medium. I am an attorney at law and the principal partner of my
law firm. I hereby wish to inform you about the sudden death of my late
client (Dr.G.E.Svedler) who passed away through an airliner crash that
involved the Togo Football Association which occurred on the 5th June 2007.
Before his unfortunate passing away, he was the chief therapeutic specialist
of this Football Association. As a foreign employee of this ministry of many
tenure to his advantage, he was quite wealthy, both in assets as he was also
involved into government contracts until his unfortunate demise. Permit
therefore as his personal aide to inform you
about a cash balance deposit that he deposited in a commercial bank before
that unfortunate occurrence. I hereby solicit for your assistance to stand
as a business associate and next of kin to this effect .
Take note that i am in perfect possessions of all the required items of this
bank account and all other relevant documentations of his assets that will
perfect the successful execution of this covenant. Upon your unbiased and
speedy response to this call, i will inform you with all the
required/necessary details with the modes of the execution of this covenant.
Send all email response via my alternative email address-
jerek_savimbi79tg@yahoo.com
Sincerely,
Barrister Jerek Savimbi (Esq)
Phone:+228 995 88 67
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Anti-fraud resources:
