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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:
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "u.k " (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: mckay dav <lizzysaint8@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wingfieldassociatesgroup1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2015 17:24:19 +0800
Subject: How are you dear
My name is Barrister David McKay from United Kingdom. I am contacting
you base on recommendation, trust and confidentiality.
On the 12th of June 2010, my client (with whom you bear the same last
name)who was a Petrochemical Engineer and Consultant in LIBYA, His
wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident.
Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident.
Since then I have made several inquiries to his Embassy to locate any
of my client's extended relatives but has been unsuccessful.
I contacted you because you share similar last name with my late
client and he left behind the sum of USD9.5M in a bank here in United
Kingdom and banking legislative regulations in U.K stipulates that a
next of kin should notify the fiscal authorities after 6 years or have
it confiscated or declared unserviceable by the government if a next
of kin is not presented.
Further details will be given upon confirmation of receipt of the proposal.
Barr.David
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Anti-fraud resources:
