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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:
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin 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.
- georgewilliam700@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WILLIAM GEORGE <williamgeorge260@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 17:35:52 +0300
Subject: GOOD NEWS
Hello Friend,
It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and don’t want problem, I only hope we can assist each other. If you don’t want this business offer kindly forget it as I will not contact you again.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of (Eur16.5) million to your account within 10 or 14 banking days. This money has been dormant for years in our Bank without claim. I want the bank to release the money to you as the cousin to our deceased customer late Mr. Daniel, who died in an earthquake crash since 30th July 2010.
You are declared the next of kin as you have the same last name of my late client, reply back for further instruction to proceed. Email: georgewilliam700@gmail.com
Thanks,
Mr. William George
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Anti-fraud resources:
