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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:
- "million 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.
- micwill245@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Michael Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <micwill245@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2016 11:31:13 +0200
Subject: URGENT REPLY
Dear Sir,
This is to inform you that our bank management is concerned over your fail to come forward to claim the sum of FIVE MILLION POUNDS that have been in custody of the bank bequests to you and your church by our late client Mr. Robin Hugh Berens who use to attend church service in your church whenever he was in your country. I am a retired staff of the bank and former account officer to the late Mr. Robin Hugh Berens. I deem it necessary to remind you about this as I feel you might not aware of his death since last two years because his church over here has approached the bank appropriately and claimed their bequests funds. Get back to me to guide you on how to get the funds from the bank.
Should you be interested kindly send me your full information as stated below to Email: micwill245@gmail.com and I shall provide you with further information;
1.Full name
2.Private phone number
3.Current residential address
I look forward to your response.
Michael Williams.
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Dit e-mailbericht is gecontroleerd op virussen met Avast antivirussoftware.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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Anti-fraud resources:
