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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
- thomas_douglas002@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Zenith Bank Nig Plc." <thomas_douglas01@accountant.com>
Reply-To: thomas_douglas002@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2011 09:57:56 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: UNCLAIMED FUND
UNCLAIMED FUND
Â
Attention Please,
I’m Thomas an accountant in the Bills and Exchange,Foreign Remittance Department of Zenith Bank Nigeria Plc. I’m writing to know if you can make a deal with me.
Â
 I discovered an unclaimed inheritance funds of USD $13.2Million in the bank.And from the informations on the document’s which I have concerning the funds, it bears the name of our former late state governor who died some 16years ago,and there is no next of kin to the account.This said abandoned funds is also as a result of over inflated and over-invoiced contracts which he did to enriched himself.
Â
Now I will like to present you as the next of kin to the account so that it will be transfer to you there after which you and i will share accordingly.
Contact me if you are interested with your full details through my private Email Address
(
thomas_douglas002@yahoo.co.jp   )
Â
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I will be waiting for your Urgent mail
Â
Thank you
Thomas Douglas.
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Anti-fraud resources:
