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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)
- "kat.owen@outlook.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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Metropolitan Police Authority" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <inspec.deanprice@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 May 2014 01:58:24 +0900
Subject: Notification Of Funds Recovery
Inspector Dean Price
Metropolitan Police Authority
London United Kingdom.
London UK.
The Metropolitan Police Authority in London UK writes to inform you of the theft that is going on in Barclays Bank London UK. Where one Mr. Ronald Duncan from Melbourne Australia and his colleague Mr. Peter f. Tseng in attempting to change the ownership of your funds valued $8.5 million dollars to his friend Mr. Peter f. Tseng from USA. This electronic message is to notify you of the change and to confirm if you authorized Mr. Ronald duncan to effect the change of the ownership of your funds with the Barclay's Bank London. You are instructed to visit the bank in London or send an email message to me and copy to Mrs. Katie Owen of the telex department, Barclay's Bank London email (kat.owen@outlook.com) to confirm the change with the management of the Barclay's Bank, so that immediate transfer can be effected to the nominated bank account of Mr. Peter f. Tseng with the citi bank new York USA.
With citi bank account number 3450 018200 and routing number 1100001.You are hereby advised to respond within seven bank working days to my office failure which i will give clearance to Barclays Bank, to effect the electronic wire transfer in favor of Mr. Peter f. Tseng.
Best Regards,
Inspector Dean Price
Metroplitant Police Authority
London United Kingdom.
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Anti-fraud resources:
