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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.
- 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.
- +447045746888 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <andrewtidbury2000@w.cn>
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:59:37 -0800
Subject: INHERITANCE!
I wish to notify you that late Mr. Rolf Hoffmann made you a beneficiary in his WILL. He left the sum of twelve million, thirty thousand United States Dollars ($12,030,000.00) to you in the Codicil and last testament to his WILL. According to him, this money is to support your humanitarian/ medical help/ orphanage activities and to help the poor and the needy in our society.Please respond for further correspondence through my email:lawfirm2010@ymail.com call line: Tel +44 70457 46888
I await your prompt response.
Yours in Service,
Andrew Tidbury Esq
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Anti-fraud resources:
