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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:
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- lawfirm.luis.martin@lawyer.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barrister Luis Martin Delgado Esq" <beamn121terjatpat@btconnect.com>
Reply-To: "Barrister Luis Martin Delgado Esq" <Luis_martin.lawfirm@lawyer.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2017 04:56:21 -0700
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL
My name is Barrister Luis Martin Delgado Esq. of (LUIS MARTIN LAWFIRM) located in Madrid. I know that it may surprise you receivingthis email from me since there was no previous correspondence between us.
I have an urgent and very confidential business proposal of (€10.500.000 Euros) Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros, which I believe that will be a very good opportunity for both of us.
Contact me on Tel: 0034603363967 E-mail:lawfirm.luis.martin@lawyer.com and I shall provide you with more details about my urgent business proposal and this proposal should be
kept very confidential.
Note: However, if my approach offends your moral ethics do accept my sincere apology, if on the contrary you wish to achieve this business goal with me, kindly get back to me with your interest for further details.
Best Regards,
Barrister Luis Martin Delgado Esq
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Anti-fraud resources:
