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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- josefernando00003@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "good day" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <josefernando00003@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:11:00 -0700
Subject: Good day
Good day,
I must begin by thanking you so much for the time and opportunity given to
me to express my personal issues. I am 24yrs of age and was brought up in
valencia spain by my late mother who was married to my father Dr. Lucas Fernando even
though I have never known him but I hear from relations that he is a good
man and now residing in England.
My mother passed away on the 24th of December 2011 after a brief illness.
The death of my mother (Late Dr. Marcia Finah Fernando) has brought about so
many setbacks in my life with my late mothers relations not helping matters
not to mention the government that is restricting me from having access to
my mother’s wealth. Before her death she deposited USD$7,900,000.00 (Seven
Million Nine Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with a private blue
chip company called The Clearing House authorizing them to release the money
to me when she has passed on and I have come of age to handle the money
myself. Without wasting much of your time, I need you to stand in for me as
my friend and investor to receive this money before my uncles and sibblings
to take all of it away from me leaving me with nothing. I do not intend to
stay in this country any longer because I am already fed up with the
environment and the way things are going at the moment I can sacrifice
coming over to your country to be with you. I have discussed this with my
attorney (Samuel garcia) and he has accepted to help me if only I can
present someone reliable and trustworthy to stand on my behalf then he will
contact the Private Company in custody of the money for a brief meeting to
discuss how to go about the release of the money to you.
I need to hear from you as soon as possible if you are going to stand on my
behalf and I promise to give back to you 40% of the money for your kind
gestures. I do not need any financial assistance from you but your honest
understanding and positive mind until the money gets to you. My email
address is stated below so you can write me as soon as you get this message
given the below information’s as my attorney has specified for record
purposes; I guarantee you that your information will be safe with me. My
email : josefernando00003@gmail.com
First Name
Surname
Address
City
State/Province
Country
Telephone No
Occupation
Date of Birth (date/m/yr)
Copy of International Passport Copy of Drivers Licence
Thank you and God bless
Sincerely,
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