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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million british pounds" (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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
- mikelamimilla@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: millamikelami@army.mod.uk
Reply-To: mikelamimilla@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 11:55:10 -0400
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Can_You_Handle_This=3F?=
Dearest One,
My name is Mrs. Milla Mike, from London in the United Kingdom. I am a dying woman who had decided to donate what I have to the Charities. I am 71 years old and was diagnosed for cancer about four years ago, immediately after the death of my husband; I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband for the good work of charity. I found your email address on an online business directories of your country and chose to email you directly.
As I lay in my sick bed, I want you to help me in carrying out my last wish on earth which will also be very profitable to you. I want to WILL a total sum of $7 million British Pounds Sterling to you which I want you to distribute part of it to any charity home for me and the rest for yourself and your family which I will inform you on how to share all, contact me ASAP for further information.
My personal email is: mikelamimilla@yahoo.com
Regards,
Mrs. Milla Mike
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Anti-fraud resources:
