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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR BEN CONLON" <dr.benconlon@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: dr.benconlon147@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:28:40 -0500 (ECT)
Subject: I will appreciate your earliest response.
FROM
DR BEN CONLON
MADRID SPAIN
CLEARANCE AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS ON DEPOSIT
Dear friend,
My name is DR BEN CONLON This letter might meet you as utmost surprise
however it's my urgent need for a foreign partner that made me to contact
you.
I am the regional director of operations with a finance holding company
with branch offices in Madrid Spain i have the opportunity of transferring
to your care the total sum of US$10,500,000 which is the unclaimed
deposits of one of our major clients.
This client died in ghastly motor accident in Madrid -Las-Mata’s highway
in March 2004 along with his entire family without completing necessary
legal documentations as regards next of kin beneficiary claims with us.
Hence am inviting you for a business deal where this money will be
released to you as the deceased next of kin and shared between us in the
ratio of 50/40 while 10% will be mapped out for expenses.
If you are willing to cooperate with me in this business proposal so that
both of us can take advantage of the present situations and benefit our
self's, further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon
as i receive a response from you.
Kindly furnish me with your direct telephone and fax numbers for direct
and easy communications through my email stated below.
Awaiting your urgent response.
Yours sincerely,
Dr.Ben Conlon
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Anti-fraud resources:
