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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:
- "fund beneficiary" (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 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.
- infodept.dmi@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DIRECTORATE OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infodept.dmi@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2015 07:31:05 -0700
Subject: GOOD NEWS
To: Fund Beneficiary
As the Law regulates there are powers above some with high level of legality attached so do we at this esteemed Directorate has powers to prosecute penalize offenders and to also bring them to book of Judgment. We have every discreet details concerning your transactions with some fraudulent persons who took away your hard earn money. Our panel of Judges in conjunction with the Prosecution Unit of World Court of Justice is concerned over this case and happily wish to announce to you that we have sent our underground syndicates to get every facts of your transactions with those fraudulent persons.
The World Court of Justice has approved that a total amount of US$6.350.000.00 (Six Million three hundred and fifty thousand USA Dollars) should be paid to you through the Excess Reserve vaults of World Bank while we tackle cases to ensure those fraudulent persons suffer in Jail forever. You are going to receive total of US$6.350.000.00 on confirmation of your readiness and swift attention. MeanwhileDo not disclose contents of this notification to those fraudulent persons you had transactions with in the past as our underground syndicates are monitoring them closely for arrest and prosecution.
Thanks in anticipation of your co-operation
I remain
CG. Mitchell Gath
Director General DMI
Reply To : directorateofmilitaryintelligence@outlook.com / infodept.dmi@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
