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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:
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Walker Jonas <jamescarlos103@att.net>
Reply-To: walkerjonas898@gamil.com
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:27:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: WARNING/ATTENTION
Attention: Mr ,
How are you today? Hope well. I tried reaching you on telephone since last week, but for congestion in the network. I am Mr. jonas walker a diplomatic, Please for your information; I will be very please if only you can adhere and listen to my Instructions and discontinue further correspondence and form of your communication with any individual or group of persons concerning this issue of your fund transfer/ Consignment.
This is very serious and serves as a warning to you.
Please do not encourage or permit further wastage of your income to fraudulent accounts and impostors because your consignment has been diverted to a Tac Security world Wide in Madrid Spain .
Understand that they refused to tell you the real truth about the project and were the fund was kept, which I am ready to open up to you base on your co-operation to me. I would have loved to discuss this with you on phone but it could not go through, I have tried several times.
Endeavor to send your real number to me; we have a lot to discuss concerning the fund/Consignment Box... But the most important thing is for you to heed my advice and discontinue further dealings with any one of them
I promise to tell you the truth and direct you to the official gazettes that will make this transaction done. I will talk to you today as soon as I read from you with your private telephone numbers i promised to tell you the truth if you would listen. Hop to hear from you soon.
Best Regards
Diplomatic walker j
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Anti-fraud resources:
