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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- smithbrown883@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Smith brown <mrsmithbrown419@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsmithbrown883@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2015 08:17:13 -0700
Subject: Greetings To You !!!!!
From: Mr.Smith Brown
Greetings To You !!!!!
DEAR FRIEND, I AM READY TO DO THIS TRANSACTION WITH YOU OR YOUR
COMPANY ONLY IF YOU ARE READY TO KEEP IT SECRET BECAUSE I DO NOT NEED
ANY SECURITY PROBLEMS. I AM WORKING WITH A BANK IN UNITED KINGDOM. CAN
YOU HELP ME REPATRIATE THE SUM OF £32,000.000.00-[Thirty Two Million
British Pounds Sterling} TO YOUR OVERSEA ACCOUNT BASED ON
PERCENTAGE.45% FOR YOU AND 55% FOR ME
(1) CAN YOU HANDLE THIS PROJECT?
(2) CAN I GIVE YOU THIS TRUST?
(3) WHAT WILL BE YOUR COMMISSION?
I EXPECT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IF YOU CAN HANDLE THIS PROJECT. KINDLY
SEND YOUR RESPONSE WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.
(1) YOUR FULL NAMES????.........
(2) YOUR COUNTRY?????.........
(3) YOUR COMPANY NAME/IF ANY???........
(4) YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE..........
(5)YOUR FAX NUMBERS??..........
(6) NOMINATED BANK NAME?????..........
(7) YOUR BANK ADDRESS?????.............
(8) YOUR AGE...........
(9) BANK SWIFT CODE/IF ANY???..........
(10) ACCOUNT NAME /BENEFICIARY????..........
(11)YOUR OCCUPATION??????...........
PLEASE KINDLY REPLY TO MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW:
{smithbrown883@gmail.com } ONCE I RECEIVE ALL THE INFORMATION FROM
YOU, I WILL SEND TO YOU THE APPLICATION LETTER WHICH YOU WILL FILL AND
SEND TO THE BANK IMMEDIATELY.
BEST REGARDS,
Mr.Smith Brown
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Anti-fraud resources:
