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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:
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: "Washington" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mranthonywashing@sify.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 07:16:42 +0800
Subject: CALL ME OR SMS ME
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your quick response to my mail. But your email is still showing errors
To give you a straight answer to your question, the amount is twelve million eight hundred thousand united stated dollars which my late client has in a trust firm.
The trust firm has contacted me to come for the claim and I have informed them that my late client died with his wife and only daughter in an auto crash there in Malaysia but I did not tell them that he died without leaving a next of kin behind hence my contacting you.
This transaction is very straight and transparent and will be concluded within 14 working days by my calculation. Be informed that we will need to meet the trust firm together in Malaysia to enable me guide you in the signing. If you cannot meet me in person in Malaysia then I don't think I can work this out with you considering what is happening in the world presently and moreover it will enable me know whom I am entrusting this huge amount of money to.
You can call me on:+447031825009 or SMS me on: +447565405554 .as soon as you receive this mail so we will know when to meet in Malaysia.
If I wait for your response till the next 4 days then I will be left with no other choice than looking for another person because of time.
Best regards
Barrister Anthony Washington
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Anti-fraud resources:
