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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <luis.martins@qualityservice.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2016 00:17:26 -0700
Subject: Strictly Confidential
My name is Mr. Luis, a UN Independent Investigator in Syria.
I seek your utmost confident to receive and keep Nine Million Dollars for me. I accept to offer you 30% of the total funds as my gratification.
THE ORIGIN OF FUNDS:
The funds were given to me by Head of Syria President as a gesture preventing my investigation of war crime and genocide evidence I had against him government since 2008 to the ICC.
But in line with the moral principal of my services as United Nation journalist, I must not own more than Twenty Thousand Dollars in my private bank account.
Due to this regulation, I decided to contact you seeking for your help securing these funds into your bank account until I successfully process my resignation in the nearest future.
I strongly count on your ability to protect my interest while this fund is in your bank account.
Please provide me with your contact details if you accept this offer.
1) Your Full Name
2) Your Residential Address
3) Your Private Mobile
4) Occupation.
As soon as I hear from you, further details will be unveiled to you.
Thank you.
Mr. Luis
United Nations Independent Investigator Syria (UNIIS
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Anti-fraud resources:
