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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:
- "trunk box" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk boxes" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "John Bannerman" <jbannerman076@gmail.com>
Reply-To: johnbannerman835@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:03:25 +0200
Subject: BUSINESS TRANSACTION
RE: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
The Sum of One Hundred and Fifteen Million United State American Dollars
in cash was concealed in a Six Trunk Boxes and deposited under private
arrangement with our International Security Company operating in the
Republic of Ghana. The Original Owner of the Funds died Nine Years ago and
ever since the death of the Depositor, nobody has come for the claiming of
the Six Trunk Boxes that contained the cash funds as specified above. I
therefore come to you privately to consider my offer by partnering with me
to claim the Six Trunk Boxes on a sharing ratio of 50/50 but bear in mind
that you will be required to make a trip to Republic of Ghana to perfect
the claiming of the Six Trunk Boxes as the New Beneficiary. Should this
offer interest you, kindly send me your direct telephone numbers for
discussion of this Business Deal in full details.
Thank you for your understanding.
Truly Yours
John Bannerman
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Anti-fraud resources:
