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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- nnpccc@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR BALA USMAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <NNPCCC@GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 16:35:01 -0700
Subject: ATTENTION : TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
Dear sir/madam
My name is Dr. Joseph T. Dawha Group Managing Director Nigeria national petroleum cooperation NNPC I am delighted to in form you about the sum of $500 million US dollars this money in question was found as over inflicted on contract down in the year 1977 infect I need a reliable Person whom I can trust to transfer the money to his or her account bath by bath the constrictor who did the job has already being paid
The present contract award chairman and some of our officials decided to transfer the deference abroad 20% will be given to the account owner 5% is map out for any mislenious expenses that might come up for local and international, for more details indicate your interest only on this Email: nnpccc@gmail.com This transacting, will be Done legitimately that will protect everybody involved, I will appreciate your earliest response NB let this transaction be keep very confidential
Yours sincerity,
DR BALA USMAN
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Anti-fraud resources:
