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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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- mrjohnsonedward00@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Edward Johnson" <mrbrunoekegold@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrjohnsonedward00@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 15:49:53 +0200
Subject: Good News For You
--
Hello
I am a private accountant and chief external auditor Bank Of Africa Bank
in Cote d’ Ivoire, I want to transfer ($10,000.000 USD) Ten million US
Dollars, An investor and a contractor with the Kruger diamond & Gold mines
died without naming a legal next of kin to his fund in my bank. First, I
must solicit your strictest confidence in this transaction. This is by
virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential. I am sure and have
confidence of your ability and reliability to prosecute a transaction of
this great magnitude.
I solicit your assistance to enable us transfer the said amount into your
safe account for onward investment. You can either provide us with an
existing account or to set up a new Bank account immediately to receive
this money, even an empty a/c can serve to receive this money, as long as
you will remain honest to me till the end of this important business
trusting in you and believing that you will never let me down either now or
in future.
Further details will be given upon your reply. below are my personal
contact details for our further communication. Send your reply to my
private email address (mrjohnsonedward00@gmail.com) with your full contact
details and call me for confirmation of this proposal.
Please Visit the website (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-13978635
)
Thanks.
Mr Edward Johnson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
