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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- a.michael@yahoo.co.uk (Yahoo, United Kingdom; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- 2015 6:36 mark as unread from: 'mrs rita michael' to: groll04@hotmail.com bcc: groll04@hotmail.com ful= l (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- groll04@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Rita Michael <info@flavantic.com>
Reply-To: mrsrita.michael@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2015 15:50:31 -0700
Subject: Your urgent Partnership is required.
Previous Next Attn: J=FCrgen Groll.Your urgent Partnership is required. We=
dnesday, 29 July, 2015 6:36 Mark as Unread From: "Mrs Rita Michael" <mrsrit=
a.michael@yahoo.co.uk> To: groll04@hotmail.com Bcc: groll04@hotmail.com Ful=
l Headers Printable View Attn: J=FCrgen Groll, I am Mrs Rita Michael Direct=
or of World Fund Management and reconciliation. I decided to contact you be=
cause of the prevailing financial report reaching my office in London This =
is to inform you about our plan to send your fund to you via cash delivery =
system; this system will be easier for you and for us. We are going to send=
your payment of US$7.3 Million to you via courier service. I have secured =
every needed document to cover this fund. Note: This fund is coming in 2 se=
curity proof boxes which are sealed with Synthetic nylon seal and padded wi=
th machine. I will use my position to release this fund to you. The boxes a=
re coming with a Courier agent who will deliver them to you at your home ad=
dress. All you need to do now is reconfirm the following information: 1. Na=
me in full:. 2. Address:...... 3. Nationality:.. 4. Age/Sex :..... 5. Occup=
ation:... 6. Phone/Cell:.. 7. Country:.... Note: The Agent does not know th=
e contents in these boxes, the content was declared to him as Sensitive Pho=
tographic Film Materials. I will secure the clearance Certificate that will=
be tagged on the boxes which I will dispatch along with the security inner=
Keys of the consignments to enable you access them as soon as they are del=
ivered to you. Best Regards, Mrs Rita Michael Please reply to my secure Mai=
l: mrsrita.michael@yahoo.co.uk
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Anti-fraud resources:
