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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: US Vetting and Monitoring Agency <newsletter@wowtv.co.kr>
Reply-To: <martadams011@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 21:09:41 -0500
Subject: Highly Important Information
Your Attention
We bring to your notice today March 2nd 2016. that after investigation by the Federal Bureau Investigation reporting several fake businesses being carried out online with some fraudsters in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana in what the FBI called involvement by some US Citizens and financing fraudulent activities on the internet with Africans.
After several investigations over the years, we have made contact with the Governments in West Africa with your name to find out if truly you have any compensation fund but with the information we have received today the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Benin Republic is they had compensation in your name but due to so many corrupt officials handling the payment, a very complicated and difficult payment procedure was used but this all happened in the previous Governments and they are ready to pay all the unpaid approved beneficiaries now through a guaranteed process of their unpaid compensation/contract and inheritance funds.
Also you must stop your communication with the fraudsters you have been dealing with over the years. this will put you in a serious problem. contact us today with your details to begin the first step of recovering of your unpaid funds. we want to follow your case up. now we have confirmed you have a genuine funds approved by the Government and you still have the opportunity to claim your funds. you don't have any reason to continue to deal and listen to these internet fraudsters.
Thomas Anderson
Vetting and Monitoring Unit.
9800 Savage Road, Suite 6711
Fort Meade, MD 26211-2591
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Anti-fraud resources:
