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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:
- "a security company " (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. )
- 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.
- tarekabdul83164@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: TAREK ABDULRAHMAN <johnnypowell22@gmail.com>
Reply-To: tarekabdul83164@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:14:25 -0800
Subject: Attention Needed
Good day,
I am Tarek Abdulrahman, a rebel leader here in Aleppo Syria, I and my
second in command came across some money that was parked in a metal
box and the money is worth over $30.5 million, in one of President
Bashar al-Assad's allies house and we have moved the money out of the
war zone to a security company as a medical equipment, but we are
looking for a trust worthy person that we can keep the above said
money with him or her for safe keeping pending when we are going to
finish the fight here in my country Syria.
If you can be of a help kindly get back to us through this Email:
tarekabdul83164@yahoo.com, and if you are not ready for the assistance
please and please do not let this be known to the world as this may
bring division among us the rebels. If my English is not too good
please try to understand me and be of kind assistance to us.
Yours sincerely
Tarek Abdulrahman
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Anti-fraud resources:
