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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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 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.
- leungchunsong@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Chun Song L" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <leungchunsong726@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2018 21:00:34 -0000
Subject: Letter
In regards To my proposal .
My name is Mr. Leung Chun-S
Although you might be apprehensive about my email as we have not met before,
I work with the Hang Seng Bank.
There is the sum of $17,500,000.00 in my bank “Hang Seng Bank", Hong Kong.
There were no beneficiaries stated concerning these funds which means no
one would ever come forward to claim it. That is why I ask that we
work together to have the sum transferred out of my bank into your account. should you be interested please email me on leungchunsong@hotmail.com
your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.
do not contact back if not interested.
Respectfully
Submitted
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Anti-fraud resources:
