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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: Kathe Edwards <kathe.edwards70@gmail.com>
Reply-To: revfrjim_lawson@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2016 07:36:47 -0700
Subject: Feel free to contact me
Dear Friend,
I got your email through my search on internet on a particular name
whom I have been looking for a very long time to pass information to
my boss Hon. Elvis Johnson who is an oil magnet here in Nigeria and
Sao Tome and Pricipe dropped the sum of $2.5 Million (Two Million Five
Hundred United States Dollars ) only in my possession to send to you
hence my contacting you this day.
I am Reverend Father Jim Lawson, a Catholic Bishop here in Apapa
branch (Saint Mary's Cathedral) here in Lagos. Feel free to contact me
as it will enable me educate you faster on how to receive this long
awaited funds of yours.
My direct telephone number is listed below.
Thank you for your understanding. Remain blessed by God Most High.
Rev. Jim Lawson.
+2348 0229 71441
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Anti-fraud resources:
