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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- brissamuche@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Timothy J. Feighery" <mark@sysnet.ug>
Reply-To: "Barrister Sam G. Uche" <brissamuche@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 13:28:18 +0300 (EAT)
Subject: Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
U.S. Department of Justice
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
600 E Street, NW., Suite 6002
Washington, DC 20579
Re: Funds Intercepted
This is to inform you that our monitoring team with the help of our
Online Transaction Tracker (OTT) intercepted a Certified Bank Draft valued
$5.5m USD after conducting our investigation, the two men arrested (name's
withheld for security reasons) confessed responsibility for your inability
to receive your contract inheritance and winning funds.
We have verified that these impostors deliberately stopped you from
receiving your funds by conniving with the agents/officials in charge of
your funds release and demanding excessive fees to scare you away so they
can claim ownership of your funds.
The Certified Bank Draft was stopped when they were trying to divert it to
Nepal; and due to complaint, we have delegated our legal practitioner to
West Africa to specially handle the processing and funds release
back to your name.
You are therefore requested to contact Barrister Sam Uche via email:
brissamuche@yahoo.co.jp with your full contact information to help you
process the release of your Certified Bank Draft to you. We trust him to
help process the release as soon as you open communication with him.
Please note that you shall be responsible for the fee for re-lodging and
securing a change of ownership back to your name.
Please do not hesitate to email us if there are further complications for
guidelines.
Mr. Timothy J. Feighery
Chairman
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
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Anti-fraud resources:
