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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- markley.stephen48@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "James R. Walsh" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markley.stephen48@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2012 13:40:18 +0100
Subject: contact Mr.Markley Stephen of the compensation and finance house
Dear Friend,
Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trustworthiness you showed
at the course of the transaction I want to compensate you and show my
gratitude to you with the sum of $950,000.00 nine hundred and fifty
thousand United State Of America Dollars.
I have authorized Mr.Markley Stephen of the compensation and finance
house headquarters where I deposited my money to issue you
international VISA CARD cashable at your bank.
My dear friend I want you to contact Mr.Markley Stephen of this
finance house for the collection of this internationa VISA CARD.
The name and contact address of the Mr.Markley Stephen is as follows.
Name: Mr.Markley Stephen Email Address :(markley.stephen48@yahoo.com)
Tell: +22997885005
Thank you and God bless you and your family, please do not fail to
contact Mr.Markley Stephen of the compensation and finance house
headquarters for your VISA CARD and please i will want you
to follow every procedure given to you by him to receive it.
Hope to see you soon as im in ireland with other of my business
partners for a foreign business transaction and i wont be back to this part of
the country. Required information:
1. Full Name
2. Phone and Fax Number
3. Address Were You Want your to Send the VISA CARD
4. Your Age and Current Occupation
5. Country
Thanks.
James R. Walsh
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