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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:
- "million 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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- 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.
- m_faizah01@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Munirah Faizah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <m_faizah01@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 22:35:13 +0200
Subject: NOTIFICATION!!!
I am Mrs. Munirah Faizah from Kuwait. I am married to Dr Faizah Al-mubarak who worked with Kuwait embassy
in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died in the year 2005. We were married for eleven years without a child.
I am here to submit an interesting business proposal of 18 Million Dollars, If you are interested I will want you to
furnish me with the following information to enable me instruct the lawyer to carry out the paper work and documentation immediately.
(1) Given name. (2) Occupation. (3) Contact Tel. number. (4) Date of birth. (5) Contact address.
I will want you to retain 30% of the funds for yourself for your generous work upon your acceptance to stand as the next of
kin/beneficiary and 10% for any expenses if there is any upon the completion of the transaction.
I shall be given you the contact information of our lawyer in Europe who will be guiding you on the process on how you can contact
the security company for the release of the funds upon your acceptance.
Remain blessed, as I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely
Mrs. Munirah Faizah
Email: m_faizah01@aol.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
