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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:
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- sawasdipol.george@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Sawasdipol" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sawasdipol.george@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 20:02:37 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS
Greetings
It is my honor and with a heart deep of humiliation and seeking good
consolation that I write to you. My name is george Sawasdipol the son
of Late Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdipol from Thailand. My Late Father
Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdipol was the leader of the Anti- government
protesters ("The Red Shirts") who was shot on the head on 13th May
2010 while he was granting an interview with the New York Times. You
can read more on my late father's murder on this Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/world/asia/14thai.html
The government has seized all the multibillion dollar companies owned
by my late father and his partners. They have also frozen his bank
accounts. I write to seek your assistance in investing the fund
amounting US$35.6 Million [Thirty Five Million, Six Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars] which my late father deposited in a finance
firm.
I will give you all the legitimate information concerning the fund and
details about me on hearing from you. You are assured that you will
have much benefit as you assist me in this regard to secure this fund.
Please do not disclose any part of this message if you are not
interested in giving this profitable assistance.you can reply me to my
email {sawasdipol.george@yahoo.com}
Best Regards
george Sawasdipol.
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Anti-fraud resources:
