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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: olivierlaurent019@hotmail.com
Reply-To: olivier_laurent@consultant.com
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 18:25:44 +0100
Subject: I know this may come as a suprise.
Dear Friend,
My name is Mr. Olivier Laurent, I am a trained external auditor working for Natwest Bank UK. I have taken pains to find your contact through personal endeavors because a late investor who bears the same last name with you has left monies totaling a little over (£10M)with Our Bank for the past Eight years and no next of kin has come forward all these years.
Banking regulation legislation in united kingdom demand that I notify the fiscal authorities after a statutory time period of Eight years when dormant accounts of this type are called in by the monetary regulatory bodies. The above set of facts underscores my reason of writing. I am of the settled conviction that using
my insider leverage, working with you, since you have the same last Name with the Late Investor, we can secure the funds in the account for us instead of allowing it pass as unclaimed funds into the coffers of the Government of united kingdom. This exactly is why I crave your participation and cooperation.
I will like you to acknowledge the receipt of this letter as soon as possible and treat with absolute confidentiality and sincerity.
I look forward to your quick reply.
Best Regards.
Olivier Laurent
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Anti-fraud resources:
