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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- albertmorris171@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Albert Morris" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <albertmorris172@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 20:18:41 +0530
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL!
Dear Friend,
Compliment of the season!
I am Albert Morris a senior staff in file keeping section of the foreign remittance department of Bank of Scotland, United Kingdom. I hope that you will not betray or expose this trust and confident that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $5 Million (Five Million United State Dollars Only) immediately to your account.
This is a very highly secret and I will like you to please keep this proposal as a top secret or delete it if you are not interested upon receipt of your reply to my private email id: albertmorris171@gmail.com. I will send to you more details about this business deal.
I will also direct you on how this deal will be done without any problem; you must understand that this is 100% free from risk.
Therefore my questions are:-
1. Can you handle this project?
2. Can I give you this trust?
If yes, get back to me immediately.
I would be grateful for your prompt reply.
Regards
Albert Morris
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