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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:
- "million 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 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.
- dianamorokat11@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Diana morokat <sonavanevarsha25@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dianamorokat11@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2014 13:50:52 +0530
Subject: I AWAIT YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
My Dear
Ms. Diana Morokat is my name. I am the only daughter of late Pnkhmto
Morokat,
who was slain by the rebel forces during this ongoing civil war in our
country
Syria. I am 23 years old. I am an under-graduate, level 200 medical student
at
University. I managed to escape into government refugee camp in London
through
the help of some Red Cross Personnel's working in our country. I have an
estimate of TEN Million Dollars in cash that my father left in a Bank vault.
Now that he is no more, I want to transfer the ownership of the fund to you
for
safe keeping and relocate to your country to complete my medical course and
permanently reside there. Please let me know if you can be honest with me
and
assist me. I proposed to give you 30% of the fund at the successful end for
your honesty, confidentiality. All further details will be disclosed to you
as
soon as I have your confidence. email: dianamorokat11@yahoo.com
Respectfully
Diana Morokat
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Anti-fraud resources:
