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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:
- "million united states 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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Captain Greg" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <captaingreg21@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 10:48:19 -0500
Subject: Urgent Assistance Needed.
I am Captain Greg, in 4th Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment unit here that
Patrols the helmand province, Afghanistan. I am desperately in need of assistance
and I have summoned up courage to contact you. I am presently in Afghanistan
and I found your contact particulars in an address journal.
I am seeking your assistance to evacuate the sum of (Twenty five Million United
States Dollars) to you, as far as I can be assured that it will be safe in your
care until I complete my service here. If it might be of interest to you then
endeavor to contact me immediately and we would work out the necessary formalities
but I pray that you are discreet about this mutually benefiting relationship.
Captain Greg, United States Soldier:Afghanistan
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Anti-fraud resources:
