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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:
- "foreign payment department" (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.
- 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.
- pmcdonnell@mynet.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "McDonnell" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pmcdonnell@terra.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 19:47:32 -1200
Subject: Please respond for details
Beloved,
My Name is Mr. Patrick McDonnell from Manchester City England.
I am the Head of Computing Dept & Finance Director of London Scottish Bank Plc here in England.
There is an account opened in this bank in 2001 and since my inception into office on 2nd Jan 2009, I then found this account and when I investigated deeply by contacting the assigned Next of Kin I also found that the Next of Kin to the account was an American who lived in London for over 55yrs and nobody has operated on this account since after 2004. I took the courage to look for a reliable and honest person who will be capable to handle the materializing for this important transaction, in order to transfer out One Hundred Million U.S Dollars.
After going through some old files, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently, it will be forfeited for nothing and the London Scottish Bank Plc management might divert the funds to her accounts. Please respond immediately and I will use my position and influence to effect the legal approval and onward transfer of this fund into your account with appropriate clearance from foreign payment department.
I will furnish you in with more details upon your reply.
You can reach me on my private email address : pmcdonnell@mynet.com so that we can discuss more on how to transfer these funds to your designated account in your country.
I look forward to your affirmative response.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Patrick McDonnell
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Anti-fraud resources:
