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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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
- curtisfowler@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Curtis Fowler" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <curtisfowler@accountant.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 08:16:18 -0700
Subject: The Proposal
Good Day
I will like to propose a legitimate business to you and please take this seriously.
I am a Manager with Metro Bank, UK. I have worked here for a little more than 9 years now and I was the personal accountant to a deceased Engineer, a foreign contractor with Royal Dutch plc. who has an investment account with my bank.
Unfortunately, my client died along with his nuclear family in the April 2nd 2012 Russia plane crash in Moscow, may their soul rest in peace. He died without leaving a will. Several efforts were made to find his extended family through your embassy without success.
I received a notice last week to provide the next of kin of been his accountant or the account risk been transferred to the UK government.
I am contacting you to assist me in repatriating the funds left behind by my late client
This claim will be executed without breaching any UK laws and success is guaranteed if we cooperation on this. The amount involved is 11,730,400 Pounds (Eleven Million Seven Hundred and thirty Great British Pounds)
Upon the receipt of your response of interest further details about this proposal would be made known to you. Please I will appeal that you treat this proposal with utmost confidentially and urgency for a 100% success. Please send your email of interest to my personal email : curtisfowler@accountant.com
Regards
Curtis Fowler
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Anti-fraud resources:
