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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:
- "million us dollars" (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 "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- mrs.sophiaomar@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Sophia Omar" <sophia.young002@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrs.sophiaomar@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2023 11:21:32 +0100
Subject: FROM SOPHIA OMAR
--
Hello dear,
My name is Mrs. Sophia Omar, the wife of the late Mr. Patrick Omar. We
were both married without a Child. It's sad to say that my husband
passed away a few years ago in an auto accident to his blessed memory.
I am an Esophageal Cancer patient, I'm presently hospitalized and My
doctor says I have only a few months to live on this planet earth. I
have been touched by the spirit of God to donate from what I have and
what I inherited from my late husband to you for charity work.
I will be going in for a surgery/operation next week, which my doctor
declared 50/50 chance to survive the operation because of my critical
condition. I have decided to donate the sum of $4.5million US dollars
to you to set up a charity foundation for the orphanage and the less
privileged once in the society and keep 20% for your self.
I will provide you with more details in regards to the fund donation
after knowing your willingness and interest to carry on with this
project as I have instructed herein. Waiting to read back from you.
Below is my email address to reply back to me (
mrs.sophiaomar@gmail.com )
Thanks and God bless you,
Your beloved sister in Christ,
Mrs. Sophia Omar.
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Anti-fraud resources:
