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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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.
- nienshenglin49@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Nien-Sheng Lin <mr.goodlucknana1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: nienshenglin49@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2018 23:19:20 -0800
Subject: PLEASE READ AND RESPONSE TO ME
Dear Friend, I seek your consent to accept my last WILL and donation of my
wealth for charity work to humanity.
I am pained that am dying as a childless widower but I know that having you
fulfilled this service for me I will die a happy man and you will receive a
fruitful reward for accepting this mission from me which is my last WILL. I
took this decision to donate my wealth for humanity service after the
confirmation of my doctor that my cancer has deteriorated and I have just
little time to live. I am an Asian American citizen gold merchant which is
the source of my fund. My wish is to use my acquired wealth to help unknown
people for humanity support since the fund cannot give life back to me. I
am in pain and suffering for long time prostate cancer disease, I want you
to willingly accept my wish to have you receive my gold bond value One
Million Dollars from my investment company Anglo Gold Mining and
Exportation Company Ghana and use 30% it to support 101, 834 Syrian
refugees in Turkish Disaster Management Agency (AFAD) Camp and another 30%
of it to help the orphanages home, widows and poor people in your province
then you take the remaining 40% for yourself service for accenting this
mission from me. Please reply to this message with your full name, address
and phone number to my email: nienshenglin49@yahoo.com .de for more
guidance if you assured me in good faith to keep to my last wish.
Regard,
Nien-Sheng Lin.
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Anti-fraud resources:
