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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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Shim Nakamura" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rr202020@mail2consultant.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 07:13:26 -0000
Subject: Confirm Mail Receipt
Attention
Please consider my proposition to enable us evaluate the possibility of
cooperation. I am Shim Nakamura writing on behalf of my late client.
After his death the bank in charge of his estate contacted me to provide
his Next of kin who should inherit his fortune according to the policy in
such circumstances.I have written several letters to the embassy with
the intent to locate any of his family and my effort has been fruitless.
The board of directors just adopted a resolution and I am mandated to
provide his next of kin within the next 15 days or the funds amounting
to GB£21,000,000.00 ( Twenty-One Million Pounds Sterling) declared as
abandoned and unserviceable. In this case, I want to present you as the
next of kin/only surviving family member of my deceased client which is
legally possible because you bear the same surname to enable you put a
claim to the funds.
Please, consider this letter as a matter of urgency to enable me commence
with all documentation for the release of these funds to you immediately.
Thank you for the time.
Regards,
Shim Nakamura
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Anti-fraud resources:
