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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "million pounds" (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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
- maxwellwhite0001@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Maxwell White <kim.mjj097@gmail.com>
Reply-To: maxwellwhite0001@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2019 00:58:49 -0700
Subject: MESSAGE IS IMPORTANT, REPLY PLS
Dear Friend,
I am contacting you base on one of our late customer(Name withheld)
who was an international cured oil dealer. He died last two
years in his home town in a car accident. Before his death, he has the
sum of £25 Million Pounds here in my branch and I happened to be his
account officer. My dear I want you to stand as his next of kin as you bear
the surname identity so
that my bank will transfer this money into your bank account in your
Country.
I have all the whole powers to present you as the Next of kin if you
can be able to work with me. Let hear from you as soon as you get this
mail, so that we can further ahead for this transaction it will only
take few banking days to get this money transfer into your account.
Reply me on my private Email: maxwellwhite0001@gmail.com
Thanks,
Maxwell White
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Anti-fraud resources:
