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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "ghro.conf2009@puan.org" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
- sec.off.info@aim.com (AOL Instant Messenger; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Reassentamento Sao Marcos - Colegio Estadual <cdvsaomarcos@seed.pr.gov.br>
Reply-To: ghro.conf2009@puan.org
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:37:53 -0300
Subject: International Conference Notice!
Dear Sir/Madam
You are kindly invited to attend our forth-coming International Conference meeting on (Violence and Global Economic Crisis). This event will begins from August 20th-23rd 2013 in Texas, United State of America and August 26th-30th 2013 in Republic of Senegal. Registration is freely open to all interested participants; please contact the event secretary email for more information on registration: sec.off.info@aim.com
If you are a holder of an international passport that may require visa to enter the United States and the Republic of Senegal, you are to inform us when sending your request for registration, as the organizers of the event is fully responsible for all visa arrangements and travel assistance.
Once again we thank you for taking out of your time in your busy scheduled to attend these conference meetings with us and we hope to see you at the event venues.
Thanks!
Ms. Emily Michael
Program coordinator
E-MAIL: ghro.conf2009@puan.org
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Anti-fraud resources:
