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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:
- "00,000.00" (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 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.
- evans.cox@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: "evans.cox@aim.com" <evans.cox@aim.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2015 15:30:52 +0000
Subject: Attn: Sir/Madam,
Attn: Sir/Madam,
I got your contact information from a reputable business/professional directory of your country which gives me assurance of your legibility as a person.
This email may have come to you in a surprise manner but I want to say that it is very rear to see a genuine business transaction online of this kind. I am Mr. Evans Cox; I have a business proposal for you that will bring a great change in our life as well. I work with Bank of England London to be specific; I want to make you a beneficiary to these funds the sum of $20,600,000.00 which will be transfer to your personal bank account.
For your information, this transaction is kept secure between me and you and it should remain confidential because we both have the idea of moving these funds down to your resident country.
Base on this transaction we will be sharing the funds with the appointed percent 60% which is for me and 40% for you acting as a beneficiary to these funds.
Further details concerning this transaction contact my private email address:evans.cox@aim.com
Best regards,
Mr. Evans Cox.
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Anti-fraud resources:
