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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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 orphan 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.
- mrs.kieranmason@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "jorgemq@ono.com" <jorgemq@ono.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2013 21:33:43 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Hello.
Hello,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe one has to risk in succeed sometimes in life.
I can confide on you for the brighter future since you are a human being like me. There is this huge amount of Ten Million five hundred thousand United States dollars ($10.500.000.00) which my late father kept with a Security Company before he was assassinated. Now I decided to invest this money in your country or anywhere safe enough for security and political reasons.
I need your help to claim and retrieve this fund from the Security Company and transfer it into your personal account for investment, I secretly reside in Tajikistan. Please do reply me with this email address for more details about this transaction: mrs.kieranmason@yahoo.co.uk Please if you really want to assist me on this transaction don’t hesitate to contact me through this email address giving to you for more information.
I await your soonest response if you can be of assistance to me.
Ms. Kieran Mason.
mrs.kieranmason@yahoo.co.uk
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Anti-fraud resources:
