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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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- anitaabigial@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: anitaabigial@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2017 20:31:19 +0300
Subject: RE
I know my message will come to you as a surprise. Do not worry I was
I'm hoping you will not expose or
Betray this trust and trust that I am about to repossess you
The mutual benefit of our families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring sum of US $ 10,200,000
(Ten Million two hundred thousand Dollars US). Into your account
Within 10 to 14 banking days. This requires a private arrangement; the
Details of the transaction will be furnished to you if you indicate
Your interest in this proposal.
This money has been dormant for years,
I want the bank to release the money to you as the nearest person
Of the account) who died along with his entire family during the Iraq
War in 2006
I do not want the money to go into our treasurer account as an
Abandoned fund. So this is the reason
Bank will release the money to you
Customer and we share the money together. Please, I would like to
Keep this proposal as a top secret.
Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you full details on how the
Business project will be executed and you will have 40%
Of the above mentioned sum.
Kindly fill this information in
Give you more details with the application form for the claim.
Reply at (anitaabigial@gmail.com)
Your full name:
Your Country:
Phone Number:
Your Age and occupation:
I would like to thank you for this project.
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Anti-fraud resources:
