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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:
- "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)
- 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.
- jbrown.ally@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: ALLYBANK <aline.oliveira@poa.incra.gov.br>
Reply-To: ALLY BANK <allyb123@att.net>
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2018 08:29:38 -0300 (BRT)
Subject: FUNDS READY
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Congratulations
This is to inform you that the United state financial authorities has instructed us to remit the sum of $5. Million United States Dollars only into your account because Your name was among the scam victims that lost a lot of money to African and European Fraudsters, you are hereby advised without delay to stop all communication between you and anybody on internet because you will end up at nothing but loose your hard earn money.
Base on this note, We are awaiting for your immediate response with your information to confirm your person and also to enable the bank to proceeds immediately with the transfer of your fund because already we have set up an account in your name here in our bank which I will send to you to confirm first so be rest assured that we will give you the best of our serve base on your response to this email. Please provide your personal details with phone number.
You are strictly advice not to send money up front fee to anyone from Europe or African again for what so ever reason. The ALLY bank will immediately remit your fund from your account with us to any bank of your choice once I reconfirm your details.
Please reply to:jbrown.ally@gmail.com
Congratulations in advance.
Jeffrey J. Brown
+1(415 251 2207
Chief Executive Officer of Ally Financial Inc
ALLY BANK
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Anti-fraud resources:
