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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- edisonrenard@rocketmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Renard Edison" (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 9 May 2015 00:39:14 +0200
Subject: From Edison
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES
ATTENTION : THE PRESIDENT/C.E.O
RE: URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL
I am Renard Edison Member Offshore Verification Committee of the above stated Department, My term of reference involves the award of contracts to Foreign Multinational Companies and Corporations. I consultant for this special committee for budget and planning of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources hence we report directly to the presidency.
However I have successfully secured for the outgoing president of the Federal Republic Nigeria(Goodluck Jonathan) the sum of $38.5m, as interest accumulated from proceeds. What we need from you is to provide a very safe and vital offshore account into which the funds will be transferred. The president and I have agreed to compensate whoever that will provide the account to be used for this transaction with 15% (or a re-negotiated sum) of the total amount remitted. Now we need a reliable, honest, decent and solvent person or a reputable company to assist us in this deal within the next few days.
All we need is your assurance that you are solvent and capable of handling a transaction of this magnitude. I shall look towards the possibility of a meeting with you as we proceed with this transaction. I honestly assure you that this deal is 100% risk-free, and I look forward to your urgent reply. edisonrenard@rocketmail.com
Thanks in anticipation.
Regards
Your faithfully
Mr. Renard Edison
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES
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Anti-fraud resources:
