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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- barr.ikemarthins173@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.Collins Brown" <nadiabertagna@alice.it>
Reply-To: barr.ikemarthins173@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2015 11:33:44 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Dr.Collins Brown
Kind Regards
On a very happy note I wish to bring to your knowledge that the payment for all contracts executed under both the immediate past and present administrations here in Benin has been released as a fulfilment of part of the promises made by the incumbent administration to settle all depts owed to all expertriates who has contributed for the growth of the nation. This is part of the administrations effort to strengthen our Diplomatic and economical relationship considering the high number of complains arriving from foreign contractors.
Since all our efforts to reach you for a while has been unfruitful, we have made out your payment in an open check and kept under the custody of Barrister Ike Marthins a lawyer here in Benin attached with the Federal Contract Payment Release Facilitation Tax Force (FCRFTF) awaiting your communication for the said sum to be made available to you. Be informed that five percent (5%) of the total sum owed to each beneficiary was deducted for Legal and Judicial cost and that left the total sum paid to you to the tune of Three million, four hundred and sixty one thousand two hundred and ninety four United States dollar forty two cent (US$3,461,294.42). Please Contact Barrister Marthins to get your sum transferred to you without further delay. You can reach him on his information here below.
Name: Barrister Ike Marthins. (Onyeoru Chambers)
Email: barr.ikemarthins173@yahoo.com
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Collins Brown
Head Of Audit
FCRFTF
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Anti-fraud resources:
