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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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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: johnson brown <dr.johnsonbrownie202@gmail.com>
Reply-To: drjohnsonbrown202@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:42:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Work with me please.
Dear Friend.
I am the Manager Coins Security Company.I discovered two different trunk boxes Containing $25 Million USD (Twenty-Five million USD) deposited in our security company and this consignments have been there for good ten years plus ome months now still no one have come over to claim it.
I made my thorough investigation and found out that it belongs to a late customer named Mr.Mohamed Showadfy Ahmed who died on Egypt Air Flight 990. Kindly see the website below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm
He has no next of kin to claim the boxes.Now i want to change the ownership to your name if you agree to work with me.I have worked out everything to ensure a hitch-free operation so that we can team up together and claim the fund boxes and shared it equally will present you as the next of kin to the late man.
My questions are;
Can you partner this project?
Can I give you this trust?
If you can work this deal with me.Quickly send to me your mobile telephone numbers, residential address or office address where ever you wished to received the trunk box and copy of your international passport or any of your security id. Finally, it is my humble prayer that the information as contained herein be accorded the necessary attention, urgency as well as the secrecy it deserves. I expect your urgent response if you can handle this project.
Call me immediately you read this mail with my direct private Phone no: +22671594926.
Respectfully yours,
Mr. Johnson Brown.
Manager Coins Security Company.
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Anti-fraud resources:
