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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:
- "million 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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- ibrahimsaad62@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Ibrahim Saad <saadibram001@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Ibrahim Saad <ibrahimsaad62@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 10:02:13 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Greetings Dear Sir/Madam
Greetings,
I am Mr. Ibrahim Saad, a senior staff of First bank Nigeria Plc. I need your assistance in executing a business. It involves the transfer of the sum of US$12.5 Million dollars. This is proceed of a contract executed by Late Engineer W. Choi from your country who was a contractor here. He died in a motor accident with his family since 2010 and till this moment, no one has come to lay claims to his chattels.
I will give you more information on what we need to do. It is not risky and I will provide you with all information that the bank will need for verification. Your share will be 30%.This is a secret deal and it requires utmost confidentiality.
 If you are interested, kindly respond to me through email: ibrahimsaad62@gmail.com for more details. Please note that you
must reply through the given email address for immediate attention
Kind Regards
Ibrahim Saad.
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Anti-fraud resources:
