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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:
- 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:
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mary Yucky <maryyucky2@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Mary Yucky <marygbrl@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 6 May 2016 08:23:13 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Good Day Dear
Good Day DearÂ
With Due Respect and Humanity, I was compelled to write to you under a humanitarian ground. My names are Mrs. Mary Yucky 52 years from France; I am married to Smith Yucky Executive Board member of one oil firm in Kuwait; but we relocated to LONDON after his retirement 5 years ago. We were married for 25 years without a child. He died after a Cardiac Arteries Operation. And Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the next 3 months due to my cancer problem (cancer of the lungs and stroke). Before my husband died last year he has sum of €2.5 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Euro) that he deposited with a Finance Security bank, for us to use and start charity program in Africa and some part of Asia etc.
Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to any God fearing brother or sister that will utilize this fund the way I am going to instruct herein. I want somebody that will use this fund according to the desire of my late husband to help less privileged people, orphanages, widows and propagating the word of God. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this fund, and I don't want in a way were this fund will be used in wrong way.
This is why I am taking this decision to hand you over this Fund after consulting my God. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I want you to always remember me in your daily prayers because of my upcoming Surgery. Write back as soon as possible and any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for another person to share my decision as God will direct me. I hope to read from you asap and May almighty God bless you as you listing to the voice of reasoning.
Yours sincerely
Mrs.Mary Yucky
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Anti-fraud resources:
