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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:
- "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- jswwalter1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Olabode Donalds" <edwina@lbkraainem.com>
Reply-To: jswwalter1@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 12 May 2020 16:20:29 -0700
Subject: Immediate Response Needed.
<HTML><BODY><P>Hello,</P>
<P> </P>
<P>My name is Mr Olabode Donalds. I work with one of the financial institute here in the Nigeria. I would need your consent to present you to the bank as the beneficiary to our late customer who died suddenly of heart attack. He was a wealthy business man who deposited a huge amount in our Bank without any registered next of kin in his bank file.</P>
<P>I was his account officer and i have all the relevant documents required to present you as his beneficiary. I contacted you because you bear the same last name identity with my late client. Therefore you will perfectly fit in to this business as the next of kin. you shall be having 40% at the final conclusion.</P>
<P>Please listen, a lot customers open private accounts with different Banks without the knowledge of their families and when they suddenly pass away, this money will be lost to the Bank unless someone comes to claim it.</P>
<P><BR>Do not forget that a transaction of this magnitude requires utmost<BR>confidentiality and sincerity. On your confirmation to this message, I will provide you more details. Please endeavor to send me your phone number for effective communication and also the below information:</P>
<P>1.YOUR FULL NAMES<BR>2. YOUR FULL CONTACT ADDRESS<BR>3. YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION<BR>4. YOUR CONTACT MOBILE NUMBER/FAX NUMBERS</P>
<P>I urgently hope to get your response as soon as possible via my private email as I do not want to be contacted via my bank email. <A href="mailto:jswwalter1@gmail.com">jswwalter1@gmail.com</A></P>
<P> Yours Sincerely,</P>
<P> Mr Olabode Donalds<BR></P></BODY></HTML>
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Anti-fraud resources:
