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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- wcorg3@yahoo.co.jp (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- barrmikebilly@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: BARRISTER MIKE BILLY <wcorg3@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: barrmikebilly@myway.com
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 11:11:20 +0900 (JST)
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER MIKE BILLY
$B?7$7$$%a!<%k%"%I%l%9$r$*CN$i$;$7$^$9?7$7$$%a!<%k%"%I%l%9!'(B wcorg3@yahoo.co.jp
I need your assistance to present you as a next of kin to claim US$ 25 million cash deposited in a Security Company in Thailand by my late client MR STEVEN HARRIS who died in year 2006
I will give you 40% cash of the money at the end of the transaction
reply to : barrmikebilly@myway.com
- BARRISTER MIKE BILLY
Anti-fraud resources:
