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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 us 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)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- florisdutoit@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Floris Dutoit <fugosdick@msn.com>
Reply-To: florisdutoit@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 13 May 2014 06:57:17 +0000
Subject: Attention: ......
--
Compliment of the day to you, I sent you a mail a couple of months ago
about a transaction and haven’t heard from you since then. The message
was to solicit your partnership to transfer the sum of {Two hundred
and Thirty Two million US Dollars only} deposited in UBS Bank Zurich
Switzerland to any of an offshore account with your assistance acting
as Beneficiary or Next-of-Kin to the funds.. I shall send you more
information and procedures when I receive a positive response from
you. reach me on my private e mail florisdutoit@yahoo.co.uk
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Floris Dutoit
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Anti-fraud resources:
