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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:
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barrfrancislimesq@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: " Barr. Francis Lim" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrfrancislimesq@w.cn>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:40:43 +0800
Subject: Dear Friend
I am Barr.Francis Lim,a lawyer by profession I am soliciting your involvement in a deal that will be of great mutual benefits between us.which worth the sum of US$9,500,000.00 Be also assured that this deal is 100% risk free.I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.. All I require is your honest co-operation and utmost CONFIDENTIALITY to enable us see this business through.Please, get in touch with me via email to enable us discuss further about the details of this transaction..Send your response to my private email address: barrfrancislimesq@w.cn
Yours truly,
Barr. Francis Lim
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Anti-fraud resources:
