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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Ange Paul <angejohns1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: angepaul54@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:34:13 +0100
Subject: Re: Hello Dear
I came across your email contact prior to a private search while in need
of your assistance, My name is Mrs. Ange Paul, I’m currently hospitalized
in a private hospital here in Spain my late husband country as a result of
brain cancer. My purpose of writing to you is for a charity project with
the fund my late husband left here in the bank and he used my name as the
next of kin. It is clear that I’m approaching the last days of my life
according to the doctor. I’m offering a sum of four million seven hundred
thousand dollars to any trustworthy person/ organization that will invest
the fund wisely into profitable business ventures and donate part of the
profit earned annually to charity worldwide; I am helpless to do so as a
result of my health, I urge you to help me fulfill my last wish. As soon as
I receive your positive response, I will detail and also direct you on what
to do.
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Anti-fraud resources:
