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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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- 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.
- revjohnpetes@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "UNITED NATIONS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <revjohnpeters@one.co.il>
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2011 13:53:50 +0100
Subject: Read Carefully
Attention:
How are you today and hope all is well with you and family. You may not
understand why we are sending this message to you, but i will implore you to
take your time to go through this mail carefully. We have been having a meeting
for the past seven months which just ended yesterday at our office UNITED
NATIONS head quarters in New York.
This email is for the people that have been scammed in any part of the world,
the UNITED NATIONS in conjunction with the IMF International Monetary Fund have
agreed to compensate you with with the sum of US$ 250,000 Two Hundred and Fifty
Thousand United States Dollars. This covers every amount you paid to the
scammers without proper documentations.
You are advised to contact Rev John Peters of FIDELITY BANK PLC, as he is our
representative in Nigeria, contact him immediately for the release of this fund
to you.
You should send him your full Name: telephone number: and your correct mailing
address:
Here is his contact information:
Conatct Name: Rev John Peters
Email:
revjohnpetes@yahoo.com
Direct Tel: 234-80-651-490-52
Thanks and God bless you and your family.
Hoping to hear the good news from you for we are here to make the World a
better place.
Congratulations
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Anti-fraud resources:
