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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:
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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 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.
- 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.
- m4407872282497@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "SENATOR FAROUK LAWAL"
<jmwazaza@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 16 Aug 2015 16:25:45 +0100
Subject: ATTN: THE MANAGING DIRECTOR / PRESIDENT
Attention: Please,
My name is Senator Farouk Lawal, I am contacting you to know if you can transact a business with me.
In 2014, I and some executive members in the Petroleum Ministry inflated a contract to the sum of US$32,000,000.00 (Thirty-Two Million United States Dollars) for our personal use and we wish to transfer the above mentioned to your account for safe investment under your care.
I know this is not the appriopriate means to contact you for a business like this but I have no choice due to our despration to move the funds out from the system before it is too late.
If you are interested, kindly get back to me with your full contact details through my email as stated hereunder for more information.
Senator Farouk Lawal.Tel: +234 810 406 8655Tel +234 808 895 2134Email: m4407872282497@yahoo.co.uk
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Anti-fraud resources:
