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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:
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- barr.olisaifedigbo@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr. Olisa Ifedigbo" <barr.olisaifedigbo@law.com>
Reply-To: <Barr.olisaifedigbo@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2017 19:29:45 -0200
Subject: Can I Trust You?.
My dear,
I have gone through a profile that speaks good of you. My name is Barr. Olisa Ifedigbo. I am a lawyer living and working in Lagos - Nigeria. I have a business proposal of mutual interest that I would like to partner with you. For more details reach me
back on email or call me on +234 708 5361422.
Sincerely,
Barr. Olisa Ifedigbo
Email: Barr.olisaifedigbo@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: This message may contain privileged/confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient indicated above (or responsible for delivery of the message to such person), you may neither
copy nor further distribute this message. In such cases, you should destroy this email and notify the sender immediately. Opinions, conclusions and other information contained in this message that do not relate to the official business of the company shall
be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. Thank you.
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Anti-fraud resources:
