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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.
- 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.
- us.emb334@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "U.S. EMBASSY" <us.emb166@peoplepc.com>
Reply-To: "U.S. EMBASSY" <westernu734@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 07:36:21 +0000 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: U.S. Embassy
Good Day,
In the out come of the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Nigeria, U.S. Embassy in Nigeria in conjunction with U.S. Director of Foreign Assistance has been mandated to use its authority to respond to your most alarming needs. We can understand that some selfish group of individuals in Africa system of government has refuse to release your inherited fund and thereby bringing a good numbers of United States citizens and other people around the globe into hardship and poverty through their selfish and unnecessary demands. The corrupt officials in Africa system of government have made your payment file dormant and that is why you could not receive your payment all these years. But every arrangement has been made to solve your problem once and for all so that you will have your $2.800, 000.00 USD in less than 48 hours time. This is what you will do to receive your fund in less than 48 hours. Carefully fill in the gaps.
(1) Your Full Name ____________________________________________
(2) Home / Office Address _______________________________________
(3) Private Telephone Number_______________________________________
(4) Scan Copy of International Passport or Driver license___________________
Get back to us with your information and you will receive your fund in less than 48 hours.
Thanks & Regards,
Terence P. McCulley U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria
Email us.emb334@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
