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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:
- "% commission" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
- This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
- 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.
- +447035907175 (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.
- johnson1703@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "STEEL BUILD COMPANY" <novolt.008@att.net>
Reply-To: <inf01uk@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 05:50:59 +0100
Subject: COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED VERY URGENT
COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED
I am Mr.Sankoh Johnson the managing director of a STEEL BUILD COMPANY UNITED KINGDOM LTD. I am the sole owner of the Steel company. (STEEL BUILD COMPANY UNITED KINGDOM LTD) I am a businessman that deals on Steel products, and export this product to the America/Canada and Europe.
Due to the Increasing number of clients that we have in the America/Canada and Europe, we are having difficulty in reaching all of them; therefore we decided to employ representatives to help us get to our clients. As our representative, you shall serve as a link between our clients and you will also be responsible for the collection of payments on our behalf.
You shall have a 10% commission for every transaction you carry out or payment that you collect on our behalf.Please if you are interested in carrying out this transaction, you are to forward your contact details to this email address in full. (REPLY TO: johnson1703@hotmail.com )
Required Identity As Company Offshore / Representative stated Below;
Name: ………………………………………………………………....
Address: ……………………………………………………………...
Country/Province: ………………………………………………….
Company (If Any): ………………………………………………….
Occupation: …………………………………………………………..
Date of Birth: ………………………………………………………...
Telephone: …………………………………………………………....
Mobile: …………………………………………………………...…....
Fax: …………………………………………………………..…..….....
Marital Status: ……………………………………………………….
Sex: ……………………………………………………………………..
Email: …………………………………………………………………...
Brief Comment (Interest Optional):
Note that no form of payment will be requested upfront in this endeavor.On our receipt of the above details, after due screening excercise, we shall forward to our customer/clients to immediately contact you with the mode of payment.
Mr.Sankoh Johnson
Managing Director.
+44 7035 907175
STEEL BUILD UNITED KINGDOM LTD
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Anti-fraud resources:
