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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:
- "await your urgent response" (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.
- 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.
- drtimothywallace@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR TIMOTHY WALLACE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drtimothywallace@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 04:26:35 +0530
Subject: The bbn sot.I Need a capable and trustworthy Indian supplier.?
Dear Sir,
I am Dr Timothy wallace, an employee of wrist watch and jewelry manufacturing company in UK. I am the production manager of my company and presently we are looking for company / individual that can supply us our raw material which we use in the production of wrist watches with gem stones on it.
Presently our company purchases from an Indian business man who is based in the UAE but he is late now and we are in need of this product.
I was able to get the details of his source of the product and i got to know it is from his country India, and i have the Indian company that sells this product. My findings made me know that he is making a profit of $6,200 per kg. I have contacted the local producer of this product and asked how we can do this deal, but they are said they cannot add any extra amount above their international selling rate.
I want to know if you can invest in this business and supply to my company. i will disclose all the contact details of the local company in India and the actual price of the product as well as all the details needed and how to go about it in this business. This is a big opportunity for me and it will be for you if you are ready to make this supply. Let me know if you can handle this supply
I await your urgent response, to my email ( drtimothywallace@yahoo.co.uk )
Sincerely
Timothy Wallace
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Anti-fraud resources:
