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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:
- "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.
- 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.
- ericjohnson1144@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Eric Johnson <ericj9884@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ericjohnson1144@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2015 05:32:42 -0700
Subject: Asisst Me
Attention :Please
My Name Is Mr Eric Johnson I am writing this letter in confidence
believing to receive your urgent email.I need a honest and a trust
worthy person to do joint business with.I am a manager of a financial
institution (Bank Of Africa) I got your contact through a reliable
source through Nigerian chambers of commerce.
I am a married Man with two kids. I am writing to solicit your
assistance in the transfer of $10,300.000.00 U.S Dollars. This fund
shall be transferred to any designated account that shall be provided
by you as my recipient.I have since, placed this amount of
$10,300.000.00 U.S Dollars on an Escrow Coded account without a
beneficiary (Anonymous) to avoid trace.
As an officer of the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this
money thus I am impelled to request for your assistance to receive
this money into your bank account on my behalf.These shall be done
through bank-to-bank transfer. All I need from you is to stand as the
original depositor of this fund so that the fund can be transferred to
your account. If you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely
response.
Please get back to me via my private email ID: ericjohnson1144@gmail.com
Kind Regards,
Mr.Eric Johnson
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Anti-fraud resources:
