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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- bill_thomas033@yahoo.com.ph (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "From Mr.Bill Thomas" <osmanyayah_99@yahoo.ie>
Reply-To: "From Mr.Bill Thomas" <bill_thomas033@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 07:00:42 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: My name is Mr.Bill Thomas,
My name is Mr.Bill Thomas,
I have a legitimate Bank transaction that I would need your honest cooperation for transferring of funds. The figure is (12.8million USD) . Can you promise safety of my share of the funds, before given you the details of the transaction to you as we have not met each other before?
The depositor is deceased Mr. George . who died in a deadly underground eruption in mining site in 2008 without indicating any beneficiary to the funds he deposited with my Bank. He has a fixed deposit with my bank since 2006 and the funds is now without any beneficiary/Heir.I want your co-operation to present you to my Bank as the Beneficiary/Heir to the Deceased Mr. George so that my bank will approve and transfer the funds to your account as the beneficiary/Heir . There's no risk involve.
Sincerely
Mr.Bill Thomas
bill_thomas033@yahoo.com.ph
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Anti-fraud resources:
