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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 united states dollars" (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)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- +447024023848 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. John Stewart" <ctm2214@att.net>
Reply-To: johnstewartsnr@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:19:46 -0800 (PST)
Subject: PLEASE CAN YOU QUICKLY GET BACK ME.
Compliment of the day,
Based on your profile and capability in keeping secret I am seeking your consent on this confidential business investment proposal.
I am Mr. John Stewart, a banker with Intercontinental Bank Plc (UK) Branch (Director Foreign Operation and Credit Control Department). My office manage the Angola Oil sales accounts . I have a schedule of the Government as gazette to undertake the payment of all Foreign/International Contractors that executed project for the Angola Government.Angola Government has released the sum of US $8M (EIGHT MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) for the payment of all her InternationalContractors.
 The government officials who are the active operators of these accounts have submitted list of foreign contractors who will benefit from this payment exercise.They also mandated me to search and present further names and contacts who would act under-cover as beneficiaries in this payment exercise and be used to send out some funds for the mutual benefit of the officials and the receiver (co-operators). This is for the purpose of establishing a profitable joint business venture with you.
 If you are willing to undertake in this exercise, give me your valid contact information’s and your complete name or company’s name which will be used to prepare a backup documents proving the source of the fund.If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology but if not, then contact me at once to indicate your interest.
My contact information is:
Private Telephone Number (+44 702 402 3848)
My working address is:Â Â Intercontinental Bank (UK) Plc
                        36-38 Leaden hall Street London
                        EC3A 1AT United Kingdom
I wait urgently to hear from you. Please feel free to ask Question if any.
Sincerely,
Mr. John Stewart.
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