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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.
- 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:
- "calvary greetings" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- 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.
- princessy12@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Princess Jane" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <princess12@eyou.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:22:15 +0100
Subject: 6.16.2010
Your Kind Attention Please,
Calvary greetings to you. It is with great honor and privilege to use this medium contacting you. Please permit me to use this medium to seek your consent for a plea for you to assist me with a letter of invitation that will make me get a visa to your country to further my education for university qualification and secure a resident permit.
I am requesting you to assist for me to come over to your country with my heritage to serve as my guardian and foreign trustee abroad. I am only 19 years old; the kinsmen want to covet my inheritance, very cruel to us. A king's daughter living in afluence, now less privileged.
Awaits your urgent response for this backing, thanking you kindly and God bless.
Sincerely,
Princess Jane.
princessy12@yahoo.com
Tel: +23480 6710 9661
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Anti-fraud resources:
