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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:
- 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:
- "back to me via my private e-mail" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "i will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
- "desk2@windowslive.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a "Yukos oil" scam. The criminals who send such emails have no connection to Yukos Oil. The emails are usually sent from Nigeria. The only money that ever changes hands in this scam is from you to the criminals.
Fraud email example:
From: "DOM MAY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <desk2@windowslive.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 03:40:43 -0700
Subject: Greetings
Good day to you,
I am Dom May and I represent Mr.Nesbitt Anthony the former C.E.O
of an Oil Company in Ireland whom recently died in a fatal motor
accident.
I have a very sensitive and confidential brief on his behalf as
his attorney to ask for your partnership in re-profiling funds in a
private bank investment portfolio in Western Europe.
I will give the details, but in summary, the funds are coming via
a reputable security company in Amsterdam. This is a legitimate
transaction. You will be paid 40% of the portfolio investment value as
your "management fees".
If you are interested, please write back to me via my private
E-mail desk2@windowslive.com and provide me with your confidential
telephone number, fax number and email address and I will provide
further details and if you are satisfied I can proceed with the
instructions.
Please we can not afford any political problems because of recent
events in the country. So I will advice you keep this to your self.
Finally, please note that this must be concluded within reasonable
time frame therefore your prompt reply is essential.
Write me back. I look forward to it.
Dom May
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Anti-fraud resources:
