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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "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.
- jerrrbrt@aol.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ghias M. K." <rsabankz@gmail.com>
Reply-To: direct2568@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 18:05:53 +0200
Subject: please respond
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Jerry Robert "born in 1936 Florida US. I work as undercover business
partner with Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi. Before his death in 2011, we
had a Private account in South Africa with deposit of $35.000,000.00 USD
(Thirty Five Million US Dollars) mapped out for investment without any
beneficiary details or identification of the principle. After all the
process I secure this fund to make sure I complete my investment plan.
But right now my health condition and security in my country cannot allow
me to transfer this fund to my personal account rather i would want you to
assist me to receive this fund" because the bank have informed me to
provide beneficiary immediately .
If you can assist me in this transaction" by receiving this fund as the
beneficiary i will compensate you with 30% of the total amount and you will
also get benefit from the investment.
More details will be sent to you when I receive your interest response to
my private email address jerrrbrt@aol.com
Thanks and best regards
Jerry.
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Anti-fraud resources:
