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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:
- 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 united states 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Anthony Ogbuigwe" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <anthony.ogbuigwe@aol.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 01:21:53 +0300
Subject: Hello !
Dear.Sir/Madam.
I am Mr. Anthony Ogbuigwe , an attorney at law. I am contacting you in
Respect to an inheritance Fund valued at (17 Million United States
Dollars) Belonging to my late client Engineer. Steve Moore. My client
who died with his entire family in a Plane crash in Benin city on the
25th of December 2003.don't Forget to Visit this Website for Details:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-12/26/content_293549.htm
The Management of his bank adopted a resolution and I was mandated as
His attorney to provide any of his surviving relative for the payment
Of his fund Valued (17 Million United States Dollars) or forfeit the
Fund as Unclaimed fund All my effort in locating any of his relatives
has not been successfully
This is why I am seeking your consent to present you as the only
surviving relative of my late client for the Claim of the fund which
shall be shared after my Arrival in your Country.
I will need the following information to file the application for the claim:
Your Contact Names in Full
Phone, Fax and Mobile
Address
Your Profession
Age and Marital Status
Your Country
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Anthony Ogbuigwe
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Anti-fraud resources:
