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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "time is not on my side" (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.
- mellisaaliabdul@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Miss Melissa" <dr.missmelissaa@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <dr.missmelissaaliabdul@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 22:25:47 +0100
Subject: Can You Get this =?UTF-8?Q?Done=3F?=
--
Dear Friend,
My Name is Dr. Miss Melissa Ali Abdul I got you esteemed contact
during my comprehensive research for a reliable and trustworthy
individual in your country I will need your help in this situation I
find my self.
I am really afraid and don't know whom to confide in. I am a medical
doctor
working with NATO currently in Syria. Am Citizen of Libya I made some
money in Gaddafi regime.
I have kept it as secret for a little while and I need someone I can
trust to work and transfer this money out of Syria as a Medical
documents.
Please I will need your help on this for I can forfeit 20 percent of
this money to make sure is safely used for me until I will be living the
army next year. Please I will need to work with you in getting this
money out of Syria, Get back to me and I will make the arrangement on
how to get this done.
I have no one to confide in, I joined the army as an orphan and don't
have some one to confide in I believe you will be helpful to me. I will
be revealing the said amount immediately you give me your word of
confidence to go ahead for this is a very huge amount of money expecting
your reply soonest for time is not on my side,
Best Regards
Dr. Miss Melissa Ali Abdul
mellisaaliabdul@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
