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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:
- 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:
- "% will be for you" (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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: <p.marc@accountant.com>
Reply-To: <p.marc@gmx.es>
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:36:10 +0100
Subject: opportunity....
Mr. Marc Possemiers
La Caixa Bank Spain.
REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE.
Greetings from Spain,
This message might meet you in (utmost surprise) however, it’s just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from Alicante Spain and I am currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of
the bank.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds
(? 4.million Euro) our bank deceased customer late Mr. Arthur Coakley, who died on (Air France Flight 447) along with his family on a plane crash
Below is the site link
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/01/air.france.brazil/index.html#cnnSTCVideo.
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/air-france-flight-447-passenger-list-204-names-32-nationalities
www.airfrance447.com
Hence i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 60/40 I and my partner will share 60% and 40% will be for you
If you agree to my business proposal further details of the
Transaction will be forwarded to you as soon as i receive your email
Respectfully
yours
Mr.Marc Possemiers
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Anti-fraud resources:
