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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "00,000.00" (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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Godfrey T. Rolinson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rolinson@pisem.net>
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2017 01:52:14 +0800
Subject: Re: You are the Next of Kin.
Attn,
This message will be the last notification that I will send to you as my earlier letters sent to you through Post Office was returned undelivered. Hence I decided to reach you via email because this information needs urgent attention.
I'm contacting you because of my deceased client who died in 2010, and the management of the Bank has issued me a notice to provide an extended next of kin of the deceased who deposited a sum of US $9.5 Million (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) or have the account confiscated within the next 41 banking days.
I am the account officer, and will be disappointed if the labor of my client is confiscated. Since you bear the same surname and may be an extended member of the family, i want you to kindly get back to me for verification process with the following information's for appraisal to my e-mail address to enable me compare pass it on to the board of directors of the Bank for approval on your behalf so you can receive this funds for our future benefits.
1. Your full names
2. Current address
3. Telephone and Fax numbers
4. Date of Birth.
5. Country of Origin
I wait for your response to enable me expedite every legal action to this effect. I will assist you in any possible way that i can to enable you receive the total sum deposited, with accumulated interest US $700,000.00(Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
I fell you will appreciate my effort for giving you my kind assistance.
Yours in active service.
Godfrey T. Rolinson
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Anti-fraud resources:
