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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:
- "million pounds" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- fisher.wan@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Santos Alexandre" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fisher.wan@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:22:25 +0200
Subject: PARTNERSHIP REQUEST
Hello
Compliment of the day to you my name is Santos Alexandre finance manager Banco de Espana,
i am contacting you to seek your partnership in a pending business project which i have
here in my hand and ready to be executed without hitches,i would give to you a more
detailed explanation of this project which i prefer to call a deal if i get your positive
response in agreeing to partner with me since this business is 100% risk free because i
have all the modalities fashioned out to give this business an excellent outcome.
In an attempt to throw light on this business deal,a month ago a Bahrain multinational company
opted an overdraft from our bank and it was over invoiced with an amount of Six Million
Pounds,thus i seek your partnership to enable me transfer this funds to your account for
both of us and i am open to negotiate your percentage so far you put in your utmost
attention and sincerity due to the nature of the business. Please if you are interested do
respond back to me via my private email: fisher.wan@aol.com
So we can discuss further on this.
Best Regards,
Santos Alexandre
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Anti-fraud resources:
