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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.
- 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.johnson57@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: SISTERANITA JOHNSON <sisteranita1@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: sisteranita_t1@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:10:26 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Dearest Beloved.Greetings to you.
Dearest Beloved.Greetings to you.
First of all let me introduce
myself to you I am Sister Anita Adams Johnson from Ivory Coast . I m
married to late Chief Adams Johnson of blessed memory.My late husband
was a produce marchant and contractor to the government on export of
coaca. We were married for eleven Years without a child, since his
death I too have been battling with both cancer and fibroid problem.
Recently,I
am in the hospital due to my critical health condition and my doctor
told me that I would not last for few months and having known my
condition I Decided to donate my late husband's funds(US$8.7Million)
deposited with a leading Bank here to you so that you will Utilize this
money for yourself and also for the Orphanages, widows and motherless
organizations.
I will also issue an Order of authority to the
bank, authorizing them that the said sum has been willed to you and a
copy of such authorization will be forwarded to you. Any delay in your
reply will give room in sourcing for another person / organization for
this same purpose.
You
may ask why I took this decision to transfer the fund to you??why can't
I withdraw from the fund to take care of my health???
Until I hear from you today unfailingly,i will give you a detail information of the fund and get you
Email;mrs.johnson57@yahoo.com
cleared of these rehotorical questions.
Yours sincerely,
Sister Anita Johnson
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