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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million british pounds" (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.
- harrysmithtradebank@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Harry Smith <harrysmith20002@gmail.com>
Reply-To: harrysmithtradebank@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2015 15:10:55 +0530
Subject: BANK BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROPOSAL
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Harry Smith, I work with Trade Capital Bank London England. I am contacting you in respect of an investment you probably would be interested in. I got your contact from the chamber of commerce and industry in my quest to source person act as next of kin to a deceased account.
The investment has to do with the funds of a deceased client. Who has no next of kin as he died with his wife and only child; I was his account officer before he passed away. I am contacting you as i have all documents relating to the account and can facilitate the claim.
The client was having a total sum of Five Million British Pounds (£5,000 000.00) in his fixed deposit account with my branch. The funds have been there in his account for over five years with no one to claim the funds.
I have an arrangement to legally make you the beneficiary so you can receive the funds in your account as the legal beneficiary and you will get 40% of the funds.
I will also need you to help manage my share until I retire, and please be rest assured that this will be done legally and this transaction would have to be kept absolutely confidential.
If you are interested then kindly send me an email to my private email:
harrysmithtradebank@gmail.com
When I get a reply from you then I will give you more information.
Regards
Harry Smith.
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Anti-fraud resources:
