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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found 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.
- andrewyoung884@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR ANDREW YOUNG" <andrewyoung77700@gmail.com>
Reply-To: andrewyoung884@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:16:45 -0500
Subject: THANKS IN ANTICIPATION
>From The Desk of Andrew Young
Department: Senior Manager Accounts/Audit
I am a senior manager accounts/audit one of the well known bank. I am
writing you following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense
benefit to both of us. In my department we discovered an abandoned sum
of TEN POINT FIVE MILLION FIVE UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in an account
that belongs to one of our foreign customers late
Mr. Morris Thompson who unfortunately lost his life in
the Plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31
2000, including his wife and only daughter.
More of the details will be made known to you upon confirmation of your
interest to
partner with me of which the percentage will be agreed upon in our next
communication.
To commence this transaction, we require you to immediately indicate
your interest by a return e-mail and enclose the
Following information:
1. Full name
2: Your private telephone and Fax numbers.
3. Occupations and Nationality.
Note this transaction is confidential and risk free. As soon as you
receive this mail contact me through my private E-mail address
andrewyoung884@yahoo.com.hk
Please note that all the necessary arrangement for the smooth release
of these funds to you has been finalized. We will discuss much in
details when in receipt of your details.
Best regards
Andrew Young
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Anti-fraud resources:
