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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:
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin 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.
- markmartinelli52@yahoo.com.ph (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Mark" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markmartinelli52@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 00:21:40 +0400
Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE ON PRIVATE INVESTMENT
REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE ON PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
From: Mr. Mark Martinelli
Greetings,
TREAT AS TOP SECRET
This message might meet you in (utmost surprise) however it’s just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from United Arab Emirates, currently holding the post of General Manager Internal Audit and Accounting unit of the bank. I wish to privately invest some funds in your country through your guidance and assistance.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($17.5million) from our bank deceased customer late Richard Burson, who died on (Egypt Air Flight 990), along with his family on a plane crash below: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm
Hence I am inviting you for a confidential business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 50% for me and 50% for your unflinching support and assistance to transfer the fund into your bank account successfully.
If you agree to my business proposal, further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your return mail.
Respectfully Yours
Mr. Mark Martinelli
E-mail;markmartinelli52@yahoo.com.ph
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Anti-fraud resources:
