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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- jltc@myself.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Jimmy Bernard" <jbernard797@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <jimmy_bernard@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2012 10:22:43 +0200
Subject: Dear Pal,
Dear Pal,
I do hope my email meets you well, I am LTC. Jimmy Bernard a U.S. Army in Iraq. I am writing you this email to ask for your agreement to receive the sum of $ 25 Million on our behalf.
The question is can we trust you? My partner and I are in need of a good partner someone we can trust to actualize this venture and found your contact online. The money is from oil proceeds and legal. But we are transferring it via the safe passage way of a diplomatic courier without any risk or any string attached. If you are agreeable get yourself a deal and reply to my private email: jltc@myself.com
Once you receive the funds, keep low social profile and take an awesome reward of 30% and custody our share for further evaluation on whether you are good enough in our assessment to invest our share when we review your business proposal. We seek your confidentiality in this business transaction and await your response as we wish to furnish you with more comprehensive details and what is required of you.
I await your urgent reply.
Yours Buddy,
LTC. Jimmy Bernard.
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Anti-fraud resources:
