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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:
- "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)
- "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.
- +447011148504 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: Barrister Peterson Sadler <eugenebrower@gci.net>
Reply-To: pslaw.consult@9.cn
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 06:06:18 -0800 (AKDT)
Subject: Information About Your Relative Inheritance
I am Peterson Sadler Esq, a solicitor at law. I am the personal
attorney/sole executor to the late Mr. Raymond who had Left behind a
large deposit of 9.8 Million Pounds in a Bank here in the UK.
The Finance Bank contacted me, as his attorney to provide his Next of
kin who should inherit his fortune and you have the same last name with
my late client, So I believe you are related to him. Contact me on my
private email so I can give you more details about this inheritance This
is my E-mail hwming1884@live.com and my private phone Numbers: +44 701
114 8504. for further details read the attachment in this email for more
explanation.
Hope to hear from you soon
Regards.
Barrister Peterson Sadler
Solicitor & Notary
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Anti-fraud resources:
