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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:
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- desmondhopy@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Desmond Hopy <ericabaron77@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: Desmond Hopy <desmondhopy@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2014 23:00:45 +0100 (BST)
Subject: I wish to know if we can work together.
Do accept my apologies if my message does not meet your personal ethics. I want
to introduce myself and this business opportunity to you. My names are Dr. Desmond Hopy, a banker with United Bank Of Africa [UBA]here in Benin West Africa.
I wish to know if we can work together. I would like you to stand as the next of
kin to my deceased client who made some deposits to my bank worth 3.7 million
GBP.(Three Million Seven Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling) . He died
without any registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open
beneficiary mandate. Fortunately, both of you have the same last name so it will
be very easy to make you become his official next of kin.
If you are interested you do respond to my private email
address(desmondhopy@yahoo.com) with the following information.
(1.) Your full names........
(2.) Your contact address..........
city........................
Country.....................
(3.) Your occupation........
(4.) Your Age.................
(5) Marital Status............
(6) Phone NO...............
(7.)Sex .....................
(8.)Photo passport/Drivers license.........
I urgently hope to get your response as soon as possible.
Best Regards,
Dr.Desmond Hopy.
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Anti-fraud resources:
