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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 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.
- mr.janyiu@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Jan Yiu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.janyiu@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:28:11 -0700
Subject: I needed their partnership!
I needed their partnership,
I am contacting you in this way because of the need? and urgency of this
transaction. I am a manager of a bank in China and have been a financial
consultant and account 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 U.S. Dollars)
to you as more? office because of death of this customer without leaving
next of kin.
Assure that the transaction? 100% risk free and legal persons who have
done all the underground works locally for the smooth transfer of the
fund in the most? short period and having been born in the city? where
the branch of the bank.
As soon as I get an answer for your interest, I will send you? Full
details of the successful completion of this transaction and note that
your share will be? 50% and my will? 50% of this fund.
Please contact on my private email below for any questions and
clarification.
Sincerely,
Jan Yiu
E-mail: mr.janyiu@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
