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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.
- 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.
- clearinghouseamerica@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "David Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <clearinghouseamerica@bk.ru>
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:47:52 -0500
Subject: ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?
Good day
This is to inform you that we the African clearing house New-York has received a credit instruction from the African Union chairman in-conjunction with the IMF to pay you your outstanding inheritance payment through the African Union escrow account here in New-York.
Base on the above, you are urgently advise to get back to this office immediately you receive this letter with the below information to enable us identify and confirm your information with the one we have here before paying you to avoid paying money to a wrong person.
(1) Your full name:…………………………
(2) Your full Address:……………………….
(3) Your full inheritance amount:……………………………
(4) A copy of your international passport or drivers license
Kindly get back to us with the above required information to enable us proceed on the release of your fund to you immediately without any delay.
Yours in service
Dr. David Brown
Head of operation, African clearing house New-York.
Private Email: clearinghouseamerica@yahoo.com
Office Number: (646) 3405941
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Anti-fraud resources:
