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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:
- "million 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)
- 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.
- grrgates194@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Eric McGill" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <eric_elman@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:58:38 -0800
Subject: PROPOSAL
Attn:
I know its kind of strange to get an email from someone
unknown..My Name is Mr Garry Gates a banker by proffession.I have
a transaction which involves a whole lot of funds to the tune of
12 Million USD(twelve million dollars) lodged with my bank.This
said funds belongs to Mr. Christian Eich, 57, he was an engineer
who ran carmaker BMW's museum, his wife and two children and his
wife's parents were also among the victims of a plane crash. There
is no one to claim the funds so I am giving you this proposal to
act as a beneficiary/trustee of the funds and I will offer to you
40% of the said fundsI will give you further details..I will offer
you 40% of these funds if you can assit me.Kindly go through the
below link to confirm the genuineness of the deceased death.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Do kindly email me on my direct email: grrgates194@gmail.com
Garry Gates
Tel:+448702957224
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Anti-fraud resources:
