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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: jonathan eze good <jonathanezegood@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:28:00 -0700
Subject: Hello Sir/Ma, Are you death?
Hello Sir/Ma
One Mr. Chris Smith came from your country with power of attorney that
you authorized him before your death to receive your
contract/inheritance/winning fund as your next of kin that you died as
a result of infected disease corona virus few days after you gave him
the power of attorney.
Now the question is ARE YOU DEATH AND AUTHORIZED HIM TO RECEIVE YOUR
FUNDS OF US$22 MILLION DOLLARS AS YOUR NEXT OF KIN? Because failure to
reply to this message in the next seven working days of this notice as
he was told to come back this office have no choice than to move ahead
and transfer the funds to him once he completed the remaining payment
requirements of which he agreed to fulfilled.
Regards as I wait to hear from you soon.
Mrs. Susan Brown
Chairperson, Senate Committee on Foreign Payment
234 907 094 8801
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Anti-fraud resources:
