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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:
- "million dollars" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: "From Senator Emmanuel Paulker" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <emmanuel.paulke@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2015 22:32:49 +0200
Subject: From Desktop of Senator Emmanuel Paulker
>From Senator Emmanuel Paulker
Dear
I have a contract over-invoice Deal project for you to handle with me; I am the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), I have a deal project of over-invoice sum of $22.5million dollars for investment. This legal over-invoice contract is strictly deal between me and you, I am comfortably in the position to procure legal documents of this contract in your name, and everything patterning this deal will anchor on legal foundation. I shall provide you with my confidential telephone and identification once you respond to my message.
If you are interested, Contact me via this email ( ) for more details and further clarifications in details.
Thanks.
Hon Senator Emmanuel Paulker,
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream)
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Anti-fraud resources:
