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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Thomas McGee <thomasmcgee11@yahoo.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2012 02:02:07 +0400
Subject: URGENT
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Greetings
I am thomas mcgee,a solicitor at law and a personal attorney/sole executor
to late mr william who lost his life in a car crash with his immediate
family in kuala lumpur,malaysia.
my late client had left behind a deposit of (fifteen million five hundred
thousand us dollars)with a finance company in United Arab Emirate.
After my clients death,the finance company contacted me as his attorney to
provide his next of kin who would inherit his fortune this according to them
is their policy in a sure circumstances.
I must solicit your assistance to stand as the next of kin to my late client
so that the proceed of this account can be paid to you and then both of us
can share this fund on a mutual agreed upon percentage.
All the vital document that would confer you the legal right to make this
claim would be made available to you.I guarantee that this will be executed
under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from the breach of law
I will give you more information as i await your response
Regards
Thomas.
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Anti-fraud resources:
