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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- aaronmatins@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Aaron Martins <aaronmatins----1@att.net>
Reply-To: aaronmatins@aol.com
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:21:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Investment opportunity
Attn: Sir/madam
I am a well-established consultant in Cyprus handling a wide range of trade and investment matters.
Just recently, I was consulted and mandated by a client of mine to source for a reliable entrepreneur to assist invest funds totaling more than $50,000,000.00
My Client needs a country that is politically stable with an excellent investment climate .
My Client needs a top personality by whom investment on a large scale could be handled.
My client needs the funds invested in any country on viable projects
your main responsibility is to ensure the total evacuation of the funds from where it is secured at the moment.
Should you however be in a position to secure these funds and to handle the investment desire of my client, please notify me so that I can give the details and also arrange for an early meeting where we shall discuss among others, investment areas, evacuation or transfer of the funds and above all the benefits to the entrepreneur
Expecting your early response to the below email: aaronmatins@hotmail.com
Regards
Aaron Matins
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Anti-fraud resources:
