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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- mubarak.bureau@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Mubarak Charko" <chako36@rose.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr. Mubarak Charko" <mubarak.bureau@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 02:52:57 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Investment
Sir,
I read your company profile on internet and I wish to invest (US$244.200.000) million dollar in your country, kindly contact me for more details on my email and advice in the sector to invest in your country
Message:
I have worked for the sultan of Brunei for many years which is why I have contacted you. I plan to leave the king to begin my own life as a businessman hopefully in 5 years’ time. I expect to leave the king precisely by November 2017 but before doing that there are fund which I have accumulated for myself over the years and it is of utmost importance I secure the money in your hands for business investments.
To be honest the money in question is money paid to me out of office as gratuities by oil companies I helped secure oil drilling contracts and few unofficial crude oil sales paid into my offshore account free zone in Africa. I am not officially allowed to assist companies secure contracts so as you can see though the money belongs to me but I cannot openly claim the money as mine unless I invest outside Brunei.
I like making myself clear and open to whomever I' am dealing with that's why I' am telling you the whole truth as it is. This is clean money I have earned for myself through my hard work out of office only that the nature of my job do not allow me invest here in my country.
I wait your urgent reply by email.
Best regards,
Mr. Mubarak Charko,
E-mail: mubarak.bureau@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
