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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:
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447031926097 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- ptclarks@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Grace Scott" <cevat@localhost.turmob.org.tr>
Reply-To: ptclarks@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 04:33:07 +0200 (EET)
Subject: Urgent from Mrs Grace Scott
I am Mrs Grace Scott sending you this mail from my sick bed in the
hospital. My late husband was an oil businessman who earned a huge amount
of about $10.8 million US Dolars, but he died in a plane crash and left
everything behind for me in a bank account. I will join him soon due to
serious illness as I have been diagnosed with cancer. Due to my
infertility resulting from medical problems I became barren. I want you to
help me use this money for charity/ humanitarian works before I die,
Please you are to spend it on Charity works such as the Poor, Orphanage,
Widow's, Less-Previlledge and war victims around the world.
God has a reason for everything. I would want you to contact my lawyer; he
will brief you on what to do.Contact him with the below details:
Bar. Peter Clark.
Email: ptclarks@hotmail.com
Tel: +447031926097
Ensure to follow the Lawyers instructions and use a greater portion of the
funds for its purpose in fulfillment of my last wish.
Remain Blessed.
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Anti-fraud resources:
