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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: joy mrs <mrsjwilford@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: joy mrs <jwilford98@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2015 22:29:49 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: MAiL
 DEAR IN THE LORD
AM MRS JOY WILFORD FROM NETHERLAND I AM MARRIED TO DR FRANKLYN WILFORD WHO WORKED WITH NETHER LAND EMBASSY IN USA ,
 FOR NINE YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH WE WERE MARRIED FOR ELEVEN YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD HE DIED AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS THAT LASTED FOR ONLY FOUR DAYS
 I AM now a new christian convert suffering from long time cancer of the breast from all indication MY CONDITIONS IS REALLY DETERIORATING WHEN MY LATE HUSBAND WAS ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF TWENTY FIVE MILLION SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS IN A SECURITY COMPANY IN TEXAS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
 I WANT A PERSON WITH GOD FEARING IN HIM THAT WILL USE THIS MONEY ON CHURCHES ORPHANAGES PROPAGATING THE WORD OF GOD,
MRS J. WILFORD
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Anti-fraud resources:
