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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:
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "jyiu@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "JAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jyiu@yahoo.cn>
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2012 19:14:21 +0200
Subject: I need your partnership,
I need your partnership,
I have a mutual business proposal of mutual interest to share with you; it involves the transfer of a large sum of money. I got your reference in my search for someone who suits my proposed business relationship.
This is a genuine business transaction only I cannot operate it alone without using a Foreigner according to the laws guiding my bank, that is why i am contacting you in this manner to help me stand before my bank as the beneficiary to claim this fund into your bank account transfer this money for the benefit of you and I. By indicating your interest on assurance of trust I will send you the full details and how this business will be executed.
Assure that the transaction is 100% risk free and legal I have done all the underground works for the smooth transfer of the fund in my Bank within a short period of time and having been born in the city where the branch of the bank.
As soon as I get an answer for your interest, I will send you full details of the successful completion of this transaction and note that we shall share between us 50% each of the total funds.
Please contact on my private email below for any questions and clarification.
Sincerely,
Jan Yiu
Email ; jyiu@yahoo.cn
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Anti-fraud resources:
