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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million dollars" (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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: General Williams <infoservice470@gmail.com>
Reply-To: General Williams <unmiss.sudan@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2017 07:46:02 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Williams message to you..
Dear Sir, ma,am
I am general Williams from united state but i am presently here in South Sudan on assignment under United Nations Peace keeping
(UNMISS). i have a consignment box that contain $2.5million dollars and some gold. I need your assistance to help me receive
my consignment because here is a war zone and the consignment box is not safe with me here. I do not want my superior to know
i have this amount of money here with me otherwise it will be confiscated and claim by my superior, so i need your assistance
to help me received the package box and i promise to give you 15% of the total money.
I want you to understand that there is no risk involved because everything shall be done in a legal process that will prevent
you and i from any breech of international laws because i also do not want to loose my job under any circumstances. please contact me via email for more information.
Regards
Gen.Williams
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Anti-fraud resources:
