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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:
- "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)
- 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.
- stellahands@centrum.cz (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Stella Hands" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stellahands@centrum.cz>
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:37:13 -0700
Subject: Beloved
Beloved,
I know you might be surprise to this (proposal) letter of mine. Well I came across your email contact through my personal search on the internet and immediately I found you I was convinced beyond every reasonable doubt that you are an honest and sincere person that can fulfill my final wish before I die.
My name is Mrs. Stella Hands from Dominican Republic and presently in United Kingdom. I am 69 year old, suffering from a long time cancer of the breast. From all indication, my condition is really deteriorating and my doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next two months because the cancer stage has gotten to a critical stage.
I grew up in a motherless baby’s home many years ago and got married to my late husband Johnson Hands for thirty three years without a child. My husband and I were true Christians; we lived all our lives in the United Kingdom. My late husband worked here as a contractor and unfortunately he lost his life to a fatal motor accident. I decided not to re-marry after his death because of my bad health condition and all I could do was to sale out all my inheritance value $12.8 million US Dollars which I packed in trunks and deposited with a Security/Cargo Company as a valuable items.
Presently these trunks are still with the Security/Cargo Company here in the United Kingdom and the management of this company has officially written me a reminding letter to come forth to take my valuable items which I deposited under their custody since the year 2002 or alternatively issue a letter of authorization to somebody who will represent me since I am unable to come over as a result of my illness otherwise they will get the trunks confiscated.
I will make available to you all information and officially authorize document which will endorse your claim as the beneficiary to the said trunk. I have mapped out the modalities on how the fund will be apportioned. 30% of the principal amount in the trunks will be dished out to you while 70% will be allotted to any charitable or orphanage home of your preference. Meanwhile my motive to dispense the funds to a charity and orphanage home is that I grew up as an orphan and do not have any heirs hitherto before I got married to Johnson, so I knew how useful it will be when the fund is shared among the orphanage.
Upon your acceptance to this proposal kindly get back to me through this email: stellahands@centrum.cz
Best Regards
Sister Mrs. Stella Hands.
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