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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Marco Pesenti" <Marco.Pesenti@deejay.it>
Reply-To: frederickaduanim011@e-mail.ua
Date: Sat, 25 May 2013 13:37:55 +0100
Subject: FROM ANTI FRAUD COMPENSATION DEPARTMENT
=3Cdiv style=3D=22font-family=3A =27Times New Roman=27=3B font-size=3A 1=
6px=3B=22=3E=3Cbr /=3E=3C/div=3E=3Cbr /=3E-- =3Cbr /=3EAttention Sir=3Cb=
r /=3E=3Cbr /=3EThis is police commissioner Jim Eze=2C the Director of O=
perations Fraud=3Cbr /=3EInvestigating Unit this is to inform you that b=
ased on the scam reports we received=2C from African Union (AU) Anti-fra=
ud team are making sure that internet fraud is wiped out in the Africa c=
ontinent completely=2E=3Cbr /=3E=A0=3Cbr /=3EThe Internet Service Provid=
ers have noticed the increased scam email traffic originating from Afric=
a to other continents=2C hence the intervention of the African Union Ant=
i fraud Unit=2C to stem the tide=2E=3Cbr /=3E=A0=3Cbr /=3EIn view of the=
foregoing=2C three hundred and six (306) scammers have been arrested so=
far and arrest is still on=2E We have recovered the total sum of US=241=
=2E2 Billion from These scammers both cash and assets confirmed to have =
come from their victims=2E We have found thousands of email addresses of=
victims and would be target victims from their address books=2E Your em=
ail was found on this book and we are contacting you based on African Un=
ion (AU) is making refunds of US=24200=2C000=2E00 (TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND =
DOLLARS) each to victims whom his/her email address was listed on the sc=
ammer=27s address books as compensation to them if you are a victim this=
or you are among people that get this massage please get back to me to =
know the modalities with which your refunds will get to you=2E=3Cbr /=3E=
=A0=3Cbr /=3ENOTE=3A You are advised not to contact those scammers again=
=3Cbr /=3E=A0=3Cbr /=3ECOMMISSIONER JIM EZE=2C=3Cbr /=3EIN CHARGE OF THE=
ANTI=3Cbr /=3EFRAUD COMPENSATION DEPARTMENT=2E=3Cbr /=3ELAGOS NIGERIA=3C=
br /=3E
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Anti-fraud resources:
