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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- mrs.dinabucknor@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS.DINA FELICIA BUCKNOR" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Mrs.dinabucknor@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2010 23:56:34 +0400
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT
Dear Sir/Madam,
l am MRS.DINA FELICIA BUCKNOR the present branch head of customer
care unit of a bank in Dubai [UNITED ARAB EMIRATES] am sending you this
mail so that we can carry out a business transaction together in my bank.
Please if you are interested contact me through my private email
bellow and i will like you to provide me the following information for proceding of
the transaction without delay.
1] FULL NAME ;
2] DIRECT MOBILE NUMBER ;
3] CONTACT ADDRESS ;
4] NATIONALITY ;
5] AGE ;
6] OCCUPATION ;
Please as you know am woman i need this deal secret/confidential because
of my position at work hence kindly abide by my wish.
Immeadiately i got your reply i will furnish you the detail/information of
the said priviledge transaction.
Kindly update me back through this email.....Mrs.dinabucknor@yahoo.com
Best Regards,
MRS.DINA FELICIA BUCKNOR.
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Anti-fraud resources:
