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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:
- "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.
- 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.
- united.attony@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Office File <officeff802@gmail.com>
Reply-To: united.attony@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2022 12:39:18 -0400
Subject: This is United States Attorney Roy C Die,
This is United States Attorney Roy C Die,
It was agreed by office of the presidency in Benin republic that sent
this fund to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York that you will pay by
buying iTunes card of $300 dollar which you will buy iTunes card $100
into 3 pieces and attach it after scratching it so the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York should accept to attach the Letter of Guarantee to
you as whom the funds shall be remitted to .
All you will do is to send your address so i can issue you power of
attorney and then fax to Federal Reserve bank of New York for update
of wiring these Us$10.8million into your bank.
Drop sms text on my mobile (234) 9034147659
united.attony@yahoo.com
Yours faithful
Attorney Roy C. Die
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Anti-fraud resources:
