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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "microsoft lottery" (no such lottery exists)
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",000,000" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Microsoft <fernandosantiago@gosan.es>
Reply-To: replysoft030032@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:48:52 +0000
Subject: Your e-mail won $4,000,000.00
Congratulations:=C2=A0
=C2=A0
Your E-MAIL ACCOUNT has won the sum of $4,000,000.00USD (Four=20=20
Million=20United States Dollars) in the on-going 2019 Microsoft Online=20=
=20
Consumer=20Promo. Your Ticket number is 10534 188 56450.
=C2=A0
All participant were selected through a computer random integrated=20=20
system=20drawn in 27 million E-mail addresses via the Internet and lucky=20=
=20
winners=20do not have to purchase any ticket to participate in this=20=20
lottery=20program. Forward your full details such as your name:=20=20
telephone=20number: age: sex and address for processing and payment of=20=
=20
your=20winning.
Kindly forward below details to:
Contact Person: Ms. Amy E. Hood
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Chief Financial Officer
1* E-mail: info@cfomicrosoft.com=C2=A0
Tel:=C2=A0 +44-7452286707
=C2=A0
Your e-mail won our Jackpot, congratulation once more.
=C2=A0
Yours in service,
Mr. Christopher Capossela
Microsoft Lottery Facilitator.=C2=A0
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Anti-fraud resources:
