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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- +447035925930 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- johnreagan@mail2planet.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: CHUCK <jennifer09lozada@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:53:22 +0100
Subject: ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE ???
Dear Friend,
Are You Dead Or Alive??I Wonder What Must Have Happened To Your
Email Address,I Guess This One Gets Through.All My Previous Mails To
You Keep Bouncing Back And Your Phone Is Not Available.
I Just Would Like To Let You Know That MR James Robertson Has
Finalized The Gold Deal And Has Deposited Our Share Of $16.5
Million[Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars]Worth Of Gold
With The Security Company In London.
I Have Taken My Agreed Share Of Gold Worth $8.5 M And I Am Off To
Japan For The Heart Surgery I Told You Of And Would Mail You My New
Telephone Number Soon After the Surgery.
So Your USD$8 Million Worth of GOLD Is Intact With The Security
Company, Hence Barrister John Reagan[SAN] Is The Attorney I Used To
Secure The Documentation In The Security Company. Since Barrister
Reagan Does not Know You Personally,So We Agreed
That He will Only Release The GOLD To You Or Any Of Your Relatives On
A Confirmatory Security CODE.
SO HERE IS THE SECRET CODE:
XCBN/2011/EIGHTMILLION/GOLD
His Email Contact Is johnreagan@mail2planet.com Or Call Him On +447035925930
As Long as You or Your Next Of Kin Mail Him With The Above Code And
Your Preferred Delivery details,Everything Is Done. I Pray You Get
This Mail Successfully Because I Am Tired Of receiving Failure
Delivery Notice And wouldn't Have access To emails For weeks Or More.
And whoever Gets This Mail And Code Automatically Gets This Gold From
Barrister John Reagan.So I suggest You Keep The code secretly as I
Wouldn't Be Liable to any Loss.
Your Partner
Mrs Gilson Williams
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Anti-fraud resources:
