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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:
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "huge deposit" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- h9088@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: <Edward Smith>atedwardsmithp1@gmail.com
Reply-To: edwardsmith9088@gmail.com
Date: 03 Sep 2016 11:45:13 +0000
Subject:
MANAGING PARTNER
Edward Smith & Solicitors
Plot 3A/5 Zik Avenue Ikoyi.
Lagos-Nige
ria.
Email: edwardsmit
h9088@gmail.com
I am Edward Smith a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to an expatriate
and a consultant
with an American Oil company who used to work with Shell - developmen
t company in Nigeria. Herein after shall be referred to as my client.
On the 21st of April 2014, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunat
ely lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to the embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives.
After these several unsuccessf
ul attempts, I decided to contact you.I have contacted you to assist in repatriati
ng the money left behind by my client before they get confiscate
d or declared un-service
able by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged. the Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about USD$24.5Mi
llion dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin to my late client or have the account confiscate
d.
Since I have been unsuccessf
ul in locating the relatives for over a year now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to my late client and the inheritor of the fund so that the proceeds of this account valued at USD24.5Mil
lion dollars can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money.
I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this inheritanc
e claim and I will send them to you. All I require is your honest cooperatio
n to enable us see this inheritanc
e claim through.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangemen
t that will protect you from any breach of the law.
If you are interested
in working with me in this deal,kindl
y reply strictly to my personal email
with your personal telephone/
fax number for effective communicat
ion and oral clarificat
ion on how to proceed next.
Thanking you in anticipati
on for your favorable response.
Sincerely yours,
Barrister Edward Smith.
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