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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:
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- brycolmann@aol.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Bryan Coleman"<test@test.com>
Reply-To: <brycolmann@aol.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 07:53:32 +0100
Subject: PLEASE KINDLY GET BACK TO ME
From: Bryan Coleman
Email: brycolmann@aol.co.uk
Hello,
My name is Bryan Coleman. I trained and work as an External Auditor for most security and Financial Institutions here in the United Kingdom,during our last Audit it happened that some investment accounts where I audited had been dormant for over five years. All the accounts belong to a single/ one account holder with monies totalling a little above ?5.5 million (British Pounds Sterling).
Further investigations of the said account reveal that the investor is late This investment account was last operated in December 1992. I also can confirm with absolute certainty that the said investor died in an official duty and no next –of –kin to his estate has been found.
Now, banking regulation/legislation here in the United Kingdom demands that I do notify the fiscal authorities of dormant accounts of this type.
As my purpose of writing is to seek for your co-operation to present you forward as the only surviving relative of the deceased investor. We are in possession of all relevant documents (legal and Banking) that will facilitate our achieving this goal.
I shall however leave out the details of this transaction till I receive an affirmation of your desire to participate. Please we are completely incharge as such no risk whatsoever is involved. Please remember, UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY is of vital importance if we are to successfully reap the immense benefits of this transaction.
Find below my private email contact that you may reach me with. I shall furnish you with a telephone number by which we shall communicate on getting a response from you.
I do expect to hear from you.
Many Thanks
Bryan Coleman
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