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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:
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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: Barr Adaeze Esq <jd4621053@gmail.com>
Reply-To: lawdepartment1@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 27 May 2022 02:45:44 +0100
Subject: Urgent Attention Needed
After a serious thought, i've decided to contact you because you was
deceived about your fund, that is why it is impossible for you to
succeed in completing the process after several payments, I will be
very open to tell you that all info you receive so far was all lies
and it is about extorting money from you.
I will personally direct you to the appointed paying Bank where you
will be paid instead of wasting your hard earned money and time on
these hoodlums,but before then you must not disclose my info to
anybody because this is top secret.
Regards
Barr Adaeze Esq
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Anti-fraud resources:
