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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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" 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.
- francisokoye201@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: =?UTF-8?Q?Mr_Edwin_Ofor?= <edwinofor1@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: francisokoye201@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 11:23:47 -0400
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?Compensation_for_your_pass_efforts?=
Greetings,
How are you with your family? I hope fine. I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise owing to the fact that you may not remember me. I contacted you sometimes in the past concerning a funds transfer which for some reasons I did not conclude with you.
Now contact my secretary in Nigeria West Africa through his e-mail(francisokoye201@yahoo.com)
Ask him to send you the total Sum of ($800,000.00)united state dollars which I kept for your compensation . But now the cheque is with issued bank and will come to you as soon as you contact Mr Francis Okoye, so feel free and get in touch with my secretary Mr Francis Okoye. He will send the cheque to you.
Regards,
Mr Edwin Ofor
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Anti-fraud resources:
