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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:
- "top of the day to you" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- 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.
- christopher_adams1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Harmony Chambers <nikola.gasic@globaltradesolutions.rs>
Reply-To: christopher_adams1@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2016 13:58:55 -0400
Subject: MESSAGE FROM BARR CHRISTOPHER ADAMS
Attention: Fund Beneficiary
=
Top of the day to you. How are you doing today? I trust that you and your e=
ntire family are in good condition.
What is happening? I have been seriously looking forward to hear back from=
you, so that I can tell the bank Representative who is in charge of the tr=
ansfer of your $5,000,000,00 but since then I have not heard back from you.=
I have been contacted to stand for you as your lawyer. So that your funds =
can be remitted into your personal account in the next 24 hours. But since =
then I have not heard back from you. What is happening?
I really need to know what the way forward. Because the bank have been upda=
ting me in regards of the transfer.
I really have a lot of case file on my desk. If I did not hear back from y=
ou in the next 10 hours from now. I will close your file case, and it will =
be kept in abandon file. Since you have decide not to get back to me. I wil=
l advice you update me as soon as possible. Let me furnish you with the upd=
ate that I just receive from the Bank Manager in regards the transfer of yo=
ur fund.
I really want to make sure that you start making use of your fund before t=
he end of this week. I know that you have a lot of responsibility to take c=
are of. I really want to make sure that I put a smile on your face. As soon=
as I hear back from you. I will send you my Credential as lawyer. Then I w=
ill also let you know the step to take so that your fund will be in your ac=
count.
Your prompt response will be highly appreciated by me. Thank you for your =
understanding.
=
Email: christopher_adams1@hotmail.com
=
Barr Christopher Adams,(SAN)
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Anti-fraud resources:
