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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: jason mill <jasonmill421@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: jason mill <western.uniontransfer1@zbavitu.net>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2014 07:29:50 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Hello Sir/Madam
Hello Sir/Madam
Please we are very sorry for our attendance on your request regarding your approval total sum of $3.9Million United States Dollars which was approved by UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ANNUAL PROGRAM that took place in Benin Republic of West African,my secretary MISS JENNIFFER BROWN explained to me that your file payment was successful signed and stamped which i did not found ,so now you will start to be receiving your fund as from today,so please take note that you will pay sum of $135 Dollar for the signing and stamping of this file payment to enable us start transferring your fund that was mandated by UNITED NATIONS.
Call me on my direct mobile +229 98495598,So i will email you receiver info to send this file payment to enable us proceed immediatley on the transferring of your total sum.
Bear in mind that,This office will close on 23 of December and we resume on 3third of January 2015:
Comply with us immediately to enable us start transferring your payment as usual.
Contact Us on E-mail below (western.uniontransfer1@zbavitu.net)
Operator Larry Goodfel
Tel:+229-98-49-55-98
I wait to receive your call
Jason Mill
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Anti-fraud resources:
