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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.
- 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.
- madamprouvost@pisem.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: PROUVOST MARIE BRIGITTE <stefanogiuliani22@alice.it>
Reply-To: madamprouvost@pisem.net
Date: Sat, 10 May 2014 01:54:36 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Message Mrs. Prouvost Marie Brigitte
Hello beloved.
Please tolerate my presence in your email box. I am Mrs. Prouvost Marie
Brigitte, I was born July 01, 1950 in France but residing in U.K. I'm
suffering from the lungs cancer that is Terminal and My doctor has
just informed me that my days are counted despite medical
treatment. My marital status is such criticism so that I don't have nor
husband, and still less of children. I have at the moment
in my safe in Bank briefcase containing a sum
of ($USD3,650,000.00 ) reported as family assets.I need a good honest
person fearing God or an organization that can use these.
I count on your good will and especially on the proper
use of these funds for actions of benevolence. May God bless you.
I await your notice of response on my email address:
(madamprouvost@pisem.net)
Mrs. Prouvost Marie Brigitte.
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Anti-fraud resources:
