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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- infonote001@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Crd. Lurent Cudgba < ifreedomlady50@netzero.net >
Reply-To: infonote001@gmail.com
Date: 20 Nov 2023 00:43:30 +0800
Subject: Attention; Dear Esteemed Customer,
Attention; Dear Esteemed Customer,
This is to imform you of your $36,500,000.00 which is assigned in
your favor by the United States Deartment of Treasury as your
comensation funds. Note you were discovered to be among the scam
victims for over 6-8 years ago. So the department has decided to
map out the above stated funds out of the total amount which were
suosed to be transferred to you but was diverted and transferred
to a wrong person who had stated or lied that he was sent by you
to claim the said funds on your behalf. Therefore you now advised
to contact our financial attorney in person of Barr. Susan Barry
who is in charge of transferred the said amount to you. Her email
as stated below; infonote001@gmail.com, Name; Susan Barry
These funds are in a written Bank Draft and can be send to you
through courier service but if not so, it would be send to you
through a
direct wire bank to bank transfer in whatsoever form you would
want it be done ok? Contact her immedaitely and let me know you
have so to enable me speed up with all the necessary arrangement
in regards to the transfer or the draft sending. I await!
Best Regards
Crd. Lurent Cudgba
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Anti-fraud resources:
