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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Attorney Michael Stewart" <tam@artconsulting.vn>
Reply-To: michstewart12@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2015 21:05:08 +0100
Subject: We humbly desire the...
Dear Sir/Madam, Sequel to your non response of our previous message to you =
on behalf of the Trustees and Executors to the Will of our late client, we =
wish to notify you that you were listed as a beneficiary to the total sum o=
f =A314,500,000.00 GBP (Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand British Poun=
ds) in the Codicil to Last Will and Testament. We therefore reckoned that y=
ou can receive this fund as you are qualified by your name identity. All le=
gal documents will be processed on your acceptance of this deal. Kindly for=
ward your address to enable us file necessary documents at the High Court (=
Probate Division) for the release of this sum to you. Please find document =
attached and I hope to hear from you soon. Regards, Attorney Michael Stewart
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Anti-fraud resources:
