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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 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Ian Unsworth <barr.ian@lawsociety.org.uk>
Reply-To: unsworth@e-mail.ua
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 04:28:00 -0600
Subject: Re-confirm your information
Hello,
How are you and you family? I am working on the release of the 15.2 million pounds and you would be contacted by the bank very soon. I am doing everything possible to make sure we conclude it soon moreover the bank has assured me that they would release it within few working days.
Please re-confirm the under listed information to me.
Names
Current Address
Contact numbers
Occupation
Finally, and most importantly, make sure you check your email regularly, keep strictly to my instructions and whenever you receive any message from them keep me updated.
I await your immediate response.
Regards,
Ian Unsworth QC
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Anti-fraud resources:
