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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:
- ",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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- barrpeter011@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "James Peter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrpeter011@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 06:02:00 +0100
Subject: Dear good friend.
Dear good friend.
I am Mr James Peter, and I am very happy to inform you about my success in getting that fund $65.5 million transferred through the help of a friend from Washington DC who assisted me financially to get the business done and i decided to compensate you for the little effort you showed earlier during when i contacted you despite the transaction did not work for both of us but i have a fear of God in my life. Now I want you to contact my Lawyer in Ghana on his email address below and receive your compensation of $1,500,000.00 us dollars [$1.5million] from him through a Barclay ATM visa card loaded:
Barrister Peter R. Zwennes, Email (barrpeter011@hotmail.com) cell phone:+233242243463 / Webside: www.zwenneschambersgh.com
Kindly reconfirm to him the following below information:
Your full name_________________________
Your address__________________________
Your country___________________________
Your age______________________________
Your occupation________________________
Your Phone number______________________
Note that if you did not send him the above information complete with this code 777, he will not release the ATM to you because he has to be sure that it is you.Note also that I will not be reached by email or phone for now because I am currently away for investment purpose with my share and I will be busy till about six months time or a year.
Best regards,
Mr James Peter
Tel +1 312 441 5208
united state of America
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Anti-fraud resources:
