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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 dollars" (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)
- "offshore 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Dr. Michael Gibson <michael.gibson@frb.gov>
Reply-To: michaelsgibsonbanker@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 08:24:10 -0500
Subject: Treat Urgently
I am soliciting for your business relationship. This is compulsory now due to huge accounting surplus traceable to my desk as director of the Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation at the Federal Reserve Board Washington Dc, United States.
My office is having a surplus of $700 million dollars after a 2013 financial account year. I have huge issue sorting where to place this amount. Being a United States of America public servant, if this amount is traced to me without a source, I will be in public blow which is likely to cost me my job.
I need you as an honest partner to receive this amount. You shall open an offshore account and I shall use my dexterity and discretion to move this amount into the bank account. Our share of the money shall be equal.
Get back to me via email and please make this confidential.
Dr. Michael Gibson
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Anti-fraud resources:
