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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states 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)
- ",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)
- "zaalp@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
- pzaalp@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "PETER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zaalp@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2017 17:09:54 -0800
Subject: Zaal
Dear Friend,
I am interested in establishing and operating a very viable business as a
means of investment abroad. I do not know too well on how this is done in
your country, so I will need you to help me in this regard.My preference is
any good profit yielding business and I would appreciate any viable ideas
you could come up with.
I will also need you to help me look for properties like homes and lands for
sale as I am proposing to invest the sum of Fifty Million United States
Dollars($50,000,000.0USD) for this. I do not know if you can and will be of
help to me.For a brief on my personality; my name is Peter Zaal .
i will give more details about me on receipt of your reply.
.
Your early reply will be highly appreciated.
Thank You!
Peter Z.
Reply to zaalp@outlook.com
pzaalp@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
