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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Emerald Baluch" <dir.office.001@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dpoffice004@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 09:07:46 +0100
Subject: I resend
Hello dear,
I sent you an email on 18th, July 2014 and was hoping to read something
from you but none came hence this serves as a reminder.I wish to discuss a
very important issue with you regarding my intents in engaging/executing a
humanitarian project in your country.I need your kind advice and you
possibly act as a trustee and the fund manager since you are in business
and understands well the economic needs of your less privileged persons in
your country. Though I know my decision to contact you through this medium
is to a larger extent unconventional but the prevailing circumstances
necessitated my action and I humbly plead that you take due consideration
of its important. I am willing to give you 20% of the total sum for your
time, honesty and kind assistance. I will contact you in details as soon as
you indicate your interest. Thank you and God bless.
Kind regards,
Mrs. Emerald Baluch
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Anti-fraud resources:
