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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:
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- ms.melvina.atanga@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ms.Melvina Atanga" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ms.melvina.atanga@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:17:43 -0700
Subject: CRY FOR HELP
Sir/Madam,
I am a Liberian,a cancer patient and the same time i have been infected by Ebola Virus on my left hand. I am dying slowly. I am the only surviving person in my family after experiencing severe war trauma in Liberia. As i talk you now i have no strength of mine. Please i would like to authorize you to inherit my fortune valued $25.8million which i banked with Ever Green Federal Bank of America. I want you to help me invest 70% of this money to charity organization and you can have the rest of it with your family. I want to amend my life before i pass away soon and please be honest to me OK !
View my picture on this link below:
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/patient-using-laptop-hospital-bed-full-length-side-view-mature-male-37133804.jpg
Please answer me quickly for further direction before it is too late. I am waiting at my computer side in my sick bed in the hospital.
Urgently Reply me at this email: ms.melvina.atanga@hotmail.com
Yours Sincerely,
Ms. Melvina Atanga
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Anti-fraud resources:
