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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)
- ",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.
- offlubin.mike77744@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: info@admin.org
Reply-To: offlubin.mike77744@aol.com
Date: 24 Jul 2019 16:31:29 +0200
Subject: ATTN:_______Notice On Your Package Reg: 3RT67A.
ATTN:_______Notice On Your Package Reg: 3RT67A.
Today we discovered an abandoned metal suitcase in our Storage
Unit with registration number; 3RT67A , originally scheduled to
be delivered to you by the (Foreign Payment Service)
Pennsylvania Department, this suitcase is a metal box and after
undergoing forensic scanner inspection it was revealed to contain
money valued $3,500,000.00 USD(Three Million Five Hundred
Thousand United States dollars).
I am writing to inform you that we have investigated the said
suitcase and the investigation proved the legitimacy of its
content as it is said to be a grant lottery fund from a Poverty
Alleviation Program held during September 2018.
You are therefore advised to make contact with Mike Lubin ,
(offlubin.mike77744@aol.com ).
The official selected for you to help secure and monitor your
package delivery regarding any issues during the course of its
delivery.
Contact him through his email to lay claim and recover your
package or we will be compelled to list your package as an
unclaimed property and maybe forfeited and moved to the United
States Treasury Department for holding.
Disregard this email if you don't have any undelivered package
from PA ,
Thank you.
Sincerely
Pittsburgh International Airport Pennsylvania
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Anti-fraud resources:
