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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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.)
- "@lawyer.com" (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.
- nanaoppon@lawyer.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Nana Afriyie Oppon <barrnanaoppon@gmail.com>
Reply-To: nanaoppons@lawyer.com
Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:07:38 -0500
Subject: Re: I need your reply
Good day,
I am a personal attorney to my late client. Since he and his family perished on
the plane crash in Panama, I have done all my best to contact any of his family
members for 9 years now and all my effort proves abortive. And he has 10
million US Dollars in a security company here in Accra, which no one has come
forward to claim till date. Hence I solicit your cooperation to work with me to
claim the funds.
The security company will not reject anyone I endorse. There is no risk involve
everything will be done under legal atmosphere. And we will share 60/40. If no
one claims the funds this year, through the institution law, after 10 years the
funds would be deposited with the government treasury.
Regards,
Barrister Nana Afriyie Oppon
Embest Chambers
Legal Practitioners and Consultants
E-mail: nanaoppon@lawyer.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
