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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:
- "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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Jan Yiu <janyiu53@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <janyiu53@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:02:11 +0200
Subject: Lets partner on this
Goodday,
I am writing you again because I presume our first correspondence was
not successful, I am contacting you in this way because of the necessity
and urgency of this transaction. I am a manager of a bank in China and
have been a financial advisor and income to a private investor who has a
large deposit in my bank.
The transaction involves the transfer of this fund deposit for a total
of $17.3Million (seventeen million, three hundred thousand United States
Dollars) to you as more office because of death of the customer without
a next of kin. I assure you that the transaction is 100% risk free and
legal persons who have done all the underground works locally for the
smooth transfer of the fund in the shortest period and being born in the
city where the branch of the bank.
As soon as I receive a response to your interest, I'll send you full
details of the successful completion of this transaction and note that
your share equal to 50% and I'll be 50% of this fund.
Please contact on my private email below for any questions and
clarification.
Sincerely,
Jan Yiu
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Anti-fraud resources:
