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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:
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "dlroberts_002@ymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447087641272 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "David Roberts" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dlroberts_001@ymail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 09:38:09 +0100
Subject: Business Partnership/Call Me
In order to transfer to overseas (£32,000.000.00 GBP) from Lloyds Banking Group Plc London, United Kingdom. I have the courage to ask for your assistance to handle this important and confidential business transaction to provide either an existing bank account or to set up a new bank account immediately to receive this money, even an empty account can serve to receive this funds quietly. I need your co-operation to transfer the above mentioned sum out of my Bank to any part of the world.
I will send the details and procedures of this transaction once I received your response. Reach me on this telephone +44 708 764 1272 for more additional information or send your response via e-mail:dlroberts_002@ymail.com Look forward to discussing this opportunity further with you in more detail shortly.
Sincerely,
David Roberts (Mr)
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Anti-fraud resources:
