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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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- atmservice208@yahoo.com.au (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MRS IJEOMA WILLIAMS <michela.derrico@tin.it>
Reply-To: atmservice.department@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 00:16:06 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Urgent Your Atm master Card Is Ready
We finally registered your master card ATM of 1.5m usd to DHL courier
service company with your code no (Code: (06634) / $1.5musd) contact
them immediately
With the info below send this detail to DR ANDREW WILSON for fast
delivery (atmservice208@yahoo.com.au)
Telephone no: +229 68473359
So therefore you are require to provide your information listed below
to enable them complete your delivery to your doorstep.
Address..................................
Telephone..............................
Country.................................
Occupation............................
Copy of id.............................
Dr Andrew Wilson is a God fearing and with good account of which others
have received their funds successfully through his services and there
was no complaining so far, so i can assure you that you will receive
the payment today according to the instruction I gave to him which rely
on your immediate conglomerate with him.
NOTE: That it depends how serious you are
Yours Sincerely
Mrs. Ijeoma Williams
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Anti-fraud resources:
