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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million pounds" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr.Williams H <mr.williams_h@mail.com>
Reply-To: mr.williamsh@yahoo.com
Date: 9 Oct 2012 00:03:57 +0200
Subject: Good Day
HTML Generator Sample Page
Seasons greetings,
I know that my mail already sound very unsecured and strange to you but permit me to introduce myself, i am Mr Williams H one of the close workers to Colonel Gaddafi of which i have worked for him for 13 years before his death.
I decided to stop working for him when i saw things not going as planned again and he threatened to kill me but i had no option but to run away through a ship that came to deliver goods here in Libya, i am in united kingdom now where i am try to start a new life.
My mail aim of contacting you is of two things, i decided to contact you through this means so that i can be sure of whom and dealing with and because i have information of two accounts(6.1 Million pounds and 4.5 Million Pounds) and one security company which he deposited money with fake names and is only me that has the information's , i will like you to stand as the beneficiary of the money and when this money is out we share it equally.
At this point i am incapacitated that i can not follow up the claims because it will need funds to get all done, please if you are ready for this deal get back to me so that we can discus more.
Waiting.
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Anti-fraud resources:
