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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:
- "johnpaul121@gmx.com" (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: Dr.John Paul <johnpaul669@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: johnpaul121@gmx.com
Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:48:42 -0500
Subject: Represent me in your country
Hello sir,
Compliments,
I got your contact from a business directory.I decided to contact you for a business with my
company.The company I work with is into manufacturing of pharmaceutical materials.
There is a raw material which the company used to send me to India to buy.Right now
I have being promoted to the post of manager.The company can not send me to India again,
they will send a more junior staff.The director has asked for the contact of the supplier in India.
I need a person I will present to the company as the supplier in India.You will now buy the product
from the local dealer and supply to my company.The profit would be shared between you and I.
Why I don't want the company to have direct contact of the local dealer,is that,
I don't want the company to know the actual price I was buying the product.If you are
interested kindly contact me for more details.through this email id:johnpaul121@gmx.com
Thanks!
Dr.John Paul
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Anti-fraud resources:
