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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- wu19129@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Western Union <markkabore6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wu19129@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2023 21:05:03 -1200
Subject: Contact Western Union for your payment
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Dear Friend
I wish to inform you that I concluded this transaction successful last
year with a lady in USA and I am currently residing in USA with
my family for project investment with the fund.
I deposited $3.5m with with Western Union for your compensation, by
trying to assist me but it did not work out between us which i kept
for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts to assist
me in this matter. I appreciated your efforts at
that time very much. So feel free and get in touched with Western
Union and instruct him where to send the fees to you,
$3.500,000.00.USD.
I did this out of sympathy for your efforts and I hope you will be
satisfied with my compensation I will advise you to contact them
immediately through their e-mail address:(wu19129@gmail.com )
Dr.kadiogo Amah
Accounting Officer
Payment Department
wu19129@gmail.com
I hope you will have a nice life with my token of compensation for
your efforts and God bless you.
I am on business trip, so don't bother yourself to reply back and say
thanks because i won't have the chance to check my email for some
months
Regard,
Mr Okonkwo Michael
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Anti-fraud resources:
