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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:
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- ahmusmkab@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ahmed Kabir" <test@livemail.com.ua>
Reply-To: ahmusmkabchambers@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2016 14:29:02 +0100
Subject: Re: Notification Message
Ahmed Kabir Law Chambers Cabinet Marie-Elise Gbedo 08 BP 977 Republic of Be=
ninn Email: ahmusmkab@yahoo.com Attn: Beneficiary, RE: CONFIDENTIAL NOTIFIC=
ATION I am Bar. Ahmed Usman Kabir a legal representative here in Republic o=
f Benin my chamber was hired to make a deposit into a security vault here i=
n Benin Republic. I just discovered that the diplomats who hired my service=
actually diverted the package labelled in your name which I believe was su=
ppose to deliver to yo in your country. Upon this discovery, I decided to c=
ontact you to confirm and also make immediate arrangement of the release of=
the (FUND) packaged to you as the real beneficiary. Please do not disclose=
this as I did not inform them on my finding before contact you, neither do=
I want anyone to know I have passed this information to you. I am a Good M=
uslim and can not get involved in an unclean act. Please Reconfirm the belo=
w for me to be sure the message is received by you. Your Name/Address Compa=
ny MName.Address (If Any) Direct Tel Scan I.D. Hope to hear from you. Regar=
ds. Ahmed Kabir Law Chambers
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Anti-fraud resources:
