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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:
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- kenneth.cole96@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Kenneth Cole <kenneth.cole96@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.law41@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 04:49:32 -0800 (PST)
Subject: IMPORTANT BUSINESS MEMO TO YOU MY FRIEND
YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED URGENTLY
My name is
Barrister Kenneth, I am the personal attorney to the late engineer Mark
Jones who was a foreigner and a contractor to Shell Petroleum Company
here in Nigeria. In December 2007 my client was killed in an attack in
the rich oil region of the Niger/Delta here in Nigeria, in an attempt
to kidnap him. Before his death my client has in an account here in
Nigeria the sum of {15.5million us dollars}.
Since his death i
have been searching for the relatives of my client to no avail. The
bank has issued me a date prior to the closure of this account if i can
not do any thing about it. In total humility i want to present you as
the next of kin to my client. This deal is going to be executed under a
legitimate condition as we stand a 100% risk free from any law of my
country and your country. I shall not disclose the name of the bank
until you prove a genuine interest in this deal.
For more information's contact me on {kenneth.cole96@gmail.com}
Thanks for your cooperation
Barrister Ken{Kenny Chambers and Associate}
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Anti-fraud resources:
