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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- terrygrantt@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Terry Grant" <terrygrantt@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:46:00 -0400 (AST)
Subject: Hi
Hello and good day !!
I am in a privilege position to make both of us benefit 15.5 Million
Pounds from a UK-based bank where I am a staff.
I need a very trustworthy,sincere and reliable foreign partner in order to
achieve success.Be assured that due process shall be followed to procure legal documents
backing up this transaction.
The total sum of 15.5 million pounds will be transfered from an account
belonging to a late customer who died with his entire immediate
family,including his next-of-kin,in a plane crash in year 2000 in the New
York bound AIR FRANCE concord plane crash.
For more information and pictorial details regarding the crash please visit :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any other relatives up to this
moment, I am contacting you to assist and collaborate with me in
repatriating all the money left behind by late property magnate.
I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally possible
to use my position to manipulate to make you the next-of-kin.
This is achievable if you allow me to present you (as the next-of-kin to
the deceased) to the management of the branch of bank so that the proceeds
of the account can be processed in your name and subsequently be paid to
you.
But all I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see
this business through.Trust me, as the account officer to the deceased I
hereby assure you that all modalities have been properly worked out and I
propose we share the proceeds in the ratio of 60% to me and 40% to you.
All I require from you to commence the immediate process are just the
following :
(1) Full names
(2) Contact address
(3) Phone & fax numbers
(4) your profile.
Awaiting your response to enable me give you more details & procedures to
be adopted.
Very Sincerely
Terry Grant
Email: terrygrantt@gmail.com
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