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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 "New Partner from Paraguay" 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.
- eric_andy@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Engr Zidy Alias <cwynar@neostrada.pl>
Reply-To: eric_andy@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:26:52 +0800
Subject: COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT
GREETINGS!!!
I am happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from New Zealand.
Presently I am in New Zealand for the new investment projects with my own share of the total sum. meanwhile,I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed.
Now contact my secretary in Brunei for your own share of the compensation , his name is Mr Eric Andy, E-mail(eric_andy@hotmail.com). Ask him to send you the total sum of USD $ 550,000.00 which I kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts you made to assist me.
I appreciate all your efforts at that time. Please feel free and get in touch with my secretary Mr Eric Andy and instruct him where to send the amount to you.
With best regards,
Engr Zidy Alias
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Anti-fraud resources:
