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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- abdulahmadbinrazak@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Abdul Razak Bin Ahmad <bartus.gawron@neostrada.pl>
Reply-To: abdulahmadbinrazak@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:51:50 +0100
Subject: RE:MANDATE TO ACT
Dear Friend,
I am Abdul Razak Bin Ahmad,an attorney at law. A deceased client of mine that shares the same last name with yours, died as a result of a heart-related condition in March 12th 2008.Leaving behind a deposit valued of Five Million, Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$5.5 Million), his heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the tsunami disaster on the 26th December 2004 in Sumatra Indonesia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_ earthquake
I want you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.
The bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin. My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and
beneficiary of my late client.
This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law,contact me immediately if you are interested Email: abdulahmadbinrazak@gmail.com
Best Regards
Abdul Razak Bin Ahmad.
Attorney at Law.
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Anti-fraud resources:
