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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:
- "million 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)
- "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.
- rev_goodman@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "INFO" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <office10un@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2016 00:09:19 -0600
Subject: re. thanks.
GOOD NEWS. I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO RE-CONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION TO AVOID ANY WRONG DELIVER OF YOUR FUND PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T MAKE ANY MISTAKE IN YOUR ADDRESS AND THIS TRANSACTION MUST CONCLUDE WITHIN ONE WEEK BECAUSE EVERY ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN MADE CONCERNING YOUR FUND WHICH IS US$10.7 MILLION DOLLARS ONLY, CASH DELIVERY VIA DIPLOMAT COURIER SERVICE.
INFORMATION NEEDED FROM YOU FOR VERIFICATION IS AS FOLLOWS:
1.YOUR NAME
2. YOUR FULL ADDRESS
3. YOUR TELEPHONE
4. FAX
5. AGE
6.SEX
7. YOUR OCCUPATION.
AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION WE WILL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECESSARY PROCEDURES IN OTHER TO DELIVER YOUR FUND TO YOU IN PERSON.THE US TREASURY DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE,HAVE APPROVED YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE PAYMENT, YOUR FUNDS IS THIS FIRST QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR 2016.
REPLY YOUR INFORMATION TO THIS EMAIL : rev_goodman@hotmail.com
CONGRATULATIONS.
Roy Goodman
UNITED NATIONS.
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Anti-fraud resources:
