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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 united state 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)
- ",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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- interpol.actingdirectorhqwa@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "REV CARLOS HILLARY" <chatto.sopronio@mdc.com.ph>
Reply-To: interpol.actingdirectorhqwa@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2017 05:35:06 -0700
Subject: GOOD MORNING & CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!!
Hi,
CONGRATULATIONS from the Office for Victim Assistance, you have been honor=
ed to be informed that we have reconciled with our logistic department on t=
he reimbursement of some fund spent by you during the cause of your inadequ=
ate dealings with some impostors who claim to be staff in banks and other r=
egional payment centers. Your personal email address was found in a persona=
l computer of one suspected fraudster in our detention (Real Name: John, Se=
gun George) sending your emails with fake identities.You are hereby selecte=
d one victim due to unawareness for this payment approval worth $10,000,000=
,00 (Ten million united state dollars) which you are to acknowledge the rec=
eipt of this mail in returning the required below to the Logistic Departmen=
t by email listed below for immediately release of your above stated compen=
sated funds so that there will be no mistake while delivering your funds to=
your home.
Your Full Name:
Home Address:
Home/Cell Phone:
Age/Gender:
Scanned Copy Of Identification Card.
=
Reply to your payment agent:
NAME: Wayne Salzgaber
EMAIL: interpol.actingdirectorhqwa@yahoo.com
=
DO NOT SEND MONEY TO ANYONE UNTIL YOU READ THIS: The actual fees for shipp=
ing your ATM card/Cashier Check is $1305 but because DHL have temporarily d=
iscontinued the C.O.D which gives you the chance to pay when package is del=
ivered for international shipping. We had to sign contract with them for bu=
lk shipping which makes the fees reduce from the actual fee of $1305 to $52=
5 nothing more and no hidden fees of any sort! You are to pay just $525 onl=
y for the shipment of your package to you.
=
Regards.
REV CARLOS HILLARY=20
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Anti-fraud resources:
