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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- 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.
- richie_water@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Richie Kamar Walt. <ubaisn@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: richie_water@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:08:51 +0600
Subject: Urgently.
My name is Mr Richie K.Walt, from France but I work in oil and gas company in Manchester city in united kingdom, I was engaged in deal with my boss in the company which I have $10.2millions in the deal, I want to come to your country to invest the money in business, I am looking for good and trustful reliable partner that he or she can handle such business with me because I am still working in the company and I don’t want the board of director of the company to suspect me that is reason I am looking for good partner to transfer this money out from UK, because I cannot travel from united kingdom now.and the funds has been kept in a security company for security reasons with the help of my lawyer and he asked me to get to him any time am ready to dispatch the funds.Reply me quick through this email:richie_water@yahoo.com
Best regard,
Richie K. Walt
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Anti-fraud resources:
