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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million dollars" (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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- "caroliineloan2011@gmail.com" (This email address looks like addresses used in fake loan scams. Be suspicious of any lender who uses a free webmail address or who is based in different country from yourself.)
- "caroliineloan2011@gmail.com" (This email address looks like addresses used in fake loan scams. Be suspicious of any lender who uses a free webmail address or who is based in different country from yourself.)
- 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.
- caroliineloan2011@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: PASTOR CAROLINE LOAN <carolineloann2009@gmail.com>
Reply-To: PASTOR CAROLINE LOAN <caroliineloan2011@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2014 22:43:55 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: WE OFFER LOAN SO HURRY NOW FOR A LOAN TODAY
Dear Friend,
I saw your contact on the internet, My name is Pastor Caroline Williams
the only surviving daughter of late doctor Williams . My parents left
about 28.5million dollars in my care now i have concluded plans with
my family lawyer to be giving out loans at an interest rate of 2% to
real loan seekers and not to scammers because this will unable me
invest my money.
I have given out loan to people around the world some after
given them the loan they never reply me again some pay me back some
pay half so my family lawyer said that i should stop given out loan
but i said no because of the people suffer around the world
Am a God fearing woman and a pastor that like to help the poor and people that
needs help i can never do any thing to hurt anybody and i do not want
anything that is going to destroy my own image because of the future
and that of my children and i promise you that you will be happy once
again in you life after getting the loan from me.
If you are really in need of this loan, write back on
caroliineloan2011@gmail.com
Make sure you reply us back on caroliineloan2011@gmail.com
Best Regard
Pastor Caroline
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Anti-fraud resources:
