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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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.
- +447045726644 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "martin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <inf3457@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 03:54:47 +0800
Subject: NEXT OF KIN
I am Barrister Martin Reeves,an attorney at law.A deceased client of mine,died as the result of a heart-related condition on the 11 November 2001.
His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the Gulf Air Flight Crash Near Bahrain Aired August 23,2000 - 2:50 p.m.ET
as reported on http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html
I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where
this deposit valued (US$5M)is lodged.This bank has requested me to present a next of kin.
My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of kin to my client,and the money will be processed in your name and released to you
as the next of kin to the deceased.
All legal documents required to back up our claim that you are the next-of-kin to my client will be provided by me.
I await your urgent response.
Respectfully,
Martin Reeves Esq.
Private Line: +44 704 572 6644
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Anti-fraud resources:
