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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:
- "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. )
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- mrsrosem333@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Du Marie" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsrosem333@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:10:05 -0700
Subject: Re:
Beloved in Christ,
I am Mrs.Du Marie Rose,and I got your email contact through the help of an attending nurse and I cannot make or receive telephone calls because the doctors and the medical director warned against it.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $10Million (TEN MILLION U.S.Dollars) with a Security Company in England. Presently, this money is still with the SECURITY FIRM and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money, rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my
behalf if I can not come over or the money enters into the company's treasury fund.
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers.
I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly manner. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Whoever
that wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and truth.
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hear from you as soon as possible.
Reply to this email immediately: mrsrosem333@gmail.com
Regards and God Bless,
Mrs.Marie
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Anti-fraud resources:
