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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:
- "barrister" (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.
- andersoncolee@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Anderson Cole" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <andersoncolee@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:12:12 +1000
Subject: Hello Friend,
Hello Friend,
I am in search of a profitable real estate business in your Country. I will be glad if you can assist me in any way possible alternatively, we can both go into a joint partnership investment business once we are both satisfied with agreements reached and after we get to know each other better.
My name is Barrister Anderson Cole an attorney to My late client who died in a car crash with his family in London on October 11th 2011.He left behind a deposit of (GBP9.8million) here in a bank and I hereby seek your consent to present you as the next of kin. The necessary documents will be arranged that would confer you the legal right for the claim. Please get in touch with me via my numbers below or by my alternative email (andersoncolee@hotmail.com) and send to me your telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further on this transaction which will be done legally and risk free.
Be informed that I am aware of the various lucrative investment opportunities in your Country and I believe investing through you as a citizen will make it a lot easier for us. If you are interested, please get back to me and I will furnish you with further details.
I will wait to hear from you on your opinion before we can discuss in details on how we should commence execution of the Investment project.
Thanks and accept my Warm Regards,
Anderson Cole.
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Anti-fraud resources:
