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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- mrgrahammurphymrgrahammurphy@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. GrahamMurphy" <ofils380@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrgrahammurphymrgrahammurphy@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2023 22:24:19 +0100
Subject: Next of Kin
From the desk of
Mr. GrahamMurphy
Date
CLAIM DEPARTMENT
Greetings,
I hope my email finds you in the best of health. My name is Graham Murphy
and I am the auditor and head of computing department of a bank here in the
United Kingdom. I wish to inform you of an account that was opened here in
my bank since my inception into office in 2010 by a customer of ours that
was from same country as you. He invested a sum of $18,000,000.00 but lost
his life in an accident thereafter. Fortunately he did not name any
particular next of kin in his paperwork with us.
It has been several years since this investment matured,but no one has come
forward to claim it and it is currently at the verge of being forfeited to
the government. For good reasons,I have decided to present you as his next
of kin to enable you and I to benefit from it in equal proportions. I
assure you that the entire project is 100% risk free and shall be processed
as legitimate inheritance.
If you are interested you can reach me on my private email (
mrgrahammurphymrgrahammurphy@gmail.com) As soon as I receive your reply of
interest,I shall disclose to you all necessary information you would
require to legally and successfully inherit the said funds.
With friendly greetings
Mr. Graham Murphy
United Kingdom
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Anti-fraud resources:
