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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 pounds" (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 next of kin 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.
- geraldelias52@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Gerard Elias" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <geraldelias52@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 16:02:32 +0100
Subject: Hello
Hello,
I am Gerard Elias QC, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney/sole executor to Late Mr Adams who died in a car accident with his immediate family and Left behind a big deposit of money (15.2 Million Pounds)in a bank here in the UK.
The company contacted me as his attorney to provide the beneficiary to the fund he left. I hereby seek consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased deposit since you have the same last name giving you the advantage so that the proceeds of this account would be paid to you then both of us can share the money. Urgently send the below listed information to me so that I can start work on vital legal documentation.
Names
Address
Contact numbers
Occupation
Age
For privacy and confidentiality reply to my private email: geraldelias52@yahoo.co.jp. I would be expecting your immediate response.
Regards,
Gerard Elias QC
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Anti-fraud resources:
