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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.
- 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.
- m2chchi@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ma Chan-Chi" <russellcamacho12@gmail.com>
Reply-To: m2chchi@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:15:52 -0000
Subject: Can You Receive The US$22.2m For Us?.
Hello:
I am Ma Chan-Chi, presently company secretary of China Construction Bank.
We discovered an abandoned sum of US$22.2m in an account that belongs to
one of our foreign customer who died along side with his entire family,
and ever Since his death none of his next of kin or relations has come
forward to lay claim for this money as his heir. After these several
unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet,
to locate any one who has the same last name as the deceased hence I
contacted you. I want you to stand as the next of kin so we can claim the
money. Reply back using this contact email address at: m2chchi@gmail.com
if you intend to assist me.
Respectfully,
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Anti-fraud resources:
