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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:
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "John Bradford" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bradford1john@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:31:10 -1100
Subject: Notification
I am Lt John Bradford of the United States Army.
I am writing you a proposal which is very confidential because of my job.
I am currently deployed in southern part of Iraq at the Syrian border. The months ago I and my team were assigned a voluntary unofficial covert operation to rescue a family from Syria which we did successfully. I am my team was highly rewarded which was equally divided amongst us. I am however faced with the challenge of keeping my share of $5,000,000.00 in my name so I have the funds in a security vault deposited in an insurance company in Belgium.
I want you to help me receive the one security vault box or have it transferred into your bank account. I am willing to give you 25% of the total sum. I will however plead with you to help me Invest the balance 75% in estate property in your name but with legal agreements that I am the sole financier.
I will be waiting to hear from you.
Sincerely,
John Bradford
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Anti-fraud resources:
