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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 pounds" (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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- johnhypo71@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "John Hypo" <accounts@auditors.com>
Reply-To: johnhypo71@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 11:21:55 -0800
Subject: Urgent Message For you!!!
Greetings.
My name is John Hypo, I am a banker and the account officer of a late Chin=
ese billionaire Mr. Lam Kok who died in a helicopter crash in France on Dec=
ember 21st 2013.
He deposited 48.5 million pounds (Forty eight million five hundred thousan=
d pounds) in our bank here in London and his family members does not know a=
bout this money so I want to present you as his next of kin of this fund so=
that our bank will pay the fund directly to you as the next of kin because=
I can perfect all the necessary documents which will make our bank to pay =
the money to you as the next of kin, if you are interested in this transact=
ion, I will offer you 40% of the total money, please get back to me immedia=
tely because it is very urgent and also send me your full name and your mob=
ile telephone number on your Reply .
I await your urgent response.
=
=
Best regards
=
John Hypo
Senior Account Officer.
PLEASE SEND YOUR REPLY TO: johnhypo71@yahoo.co.jp
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Anti-fraud resources:
