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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "dormant 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.
- 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.
- cy25wood@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Cynthia Woodward" <cynthwdward@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2014 15:36:47 +0700
Subject: Investment Opportunity
Greetings,
Briefly, I am Cynthia Woodward a citizen of United Kingdom and work as a
group finance director in Barclays Bank London.
I discovered a dormant account in my office as Group finance director with
Barclays Bank London. It will be in my interest to transfer this fund
worth {£20,000,000} Twenty Million GB Pounds Sterling in an account
offshore. If you can be a collaborator to this please indicate interest
immediately for us to proceed.
Remember this is absolutely confidential. My husband does not know about
this. My family will be in shambles if it burst out and I will also be in
trouble as well as lose my precious job.
Your contact phone numbers and name will be necessary for this effect.
Please reply me on my private email at cy25wood@yahoo.com
Regards and respect,
Cynthia Woodward.
Group Finance Director
Barclays Bank London
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Anti-fraud resources:
