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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:
- "inheritance funds" (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.
- wellsfargobank324@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WELLS FARGO BANK <rashman061@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wellsfargobank324@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2023 08:13:55 -0700
Subject: WELLS FARGO BANK
WELLS FARGO BANK
112 De Anza Blvd Ste A, San Mateo, CA 94402.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
ATTENTION IS NEEDED PLEASE!
Greetings from the Wells Fargo Bank.
I have a vital information which needs to be attended immediately,
Did you authorized anyone to pick up your inheritance fund from our
branch in Cleveland Caldwell Idaho? A man called Mr Andrew Cox came
to our office yesterday inrespect of your $20 million USD which has
been credited with us for the past 2 years now by the Federal Government
to be transferred into your nominate bank account. He said that you
authorized him
to pick up the fund.
This fund has been in our custody for the past two years now and we have
been waiting for you to contact us but we didn't know what is hindering
you from reaching us since. So we decided to write to you to make sure
that you are fine and aware of your inheritance funds of $20 Million USD
in our branch office in Caldwell Idaho.
We want you to get back to us with the following details:
Full Name:__________
Home address:_____
Age:________________
Occupation:_________
Phone number:______
Nearest airport:______
COUNTRY:______
This above listed details are needed as fast as possible if you didn't
authorize anyone to pick up your fund from our branch in Idaho.
Contact email (wellsfargobank324@gmail.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
