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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- stuartlester71@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Lester Stuart" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stuartlester71@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2017 05:53:45 -0500
Subject: We need your confirmation or otherwise.
Dear Sir,
I am Lester Stuart of International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Board of the IMF has given me the mandate to ensure the release/payment of all delayed/denied and yet to be paid inheritance funds, contract funds or/and lottery funds to every certified beneficiary of the funds. I am delighted to notify you that you are among the first batch of 17 beneficiaries listed to benefit from this approved funds payment. Congratulations.
Your payment file has been forwarded to my desk with an application attached for change of funds beneficiary in favour of Mr. Jerry Adam. Mr. Jerry Adam, a citizen of United States, submitted a letter of claim for your funds stating that you gave him a Power of Attorney to receive the funds already approved in your favour on your behalf. We need your confirmation or otherwise.
You are required to confirm the authenticity or otherwise of the application of claim submitted by Mr Jerry Adam before we can proceed with the process of release of the approved amount. We do not want to make mistakes or release payments to wrong bank accounts.
Your urgent response is being awaited.
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Yours Faithfully,
Lester Stuart.
IMF.
Email: stuartlester71@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
