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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:
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "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.
- 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.
- thompsonmohammed1970@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "From Thompson Mohammed" <info@ben.net>
Reply-To: thompsonmohammed1970@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 14:44:49 -0700
Subject: Re:Urgent Investment
I am Mr.THOMPSON MOHAMMED and I have very confidential business proposition for you.I just arrived here in south africa with millions of rands. The total amount should be over 5.5million Rands . I don't have a permit right now and i want to invest in south africa because the money is in RANDS You would be wondering how come the money.Some peace keepers from South Africa came to my country Sudan and to be honest due to the war in Sudan and how i have suffer with my family.
The peace keepers all ran away. I was one of the leaders in my group that share food, etc. I saw the money in the box, it was rands, so there was no where else i could go than South Africa . and the money has been deposited in a security firm here in South Africa. I am new here and i don't even have a permit, to be honest you have to proof yourself that you would help me and not set me up please. I have suffered enough in this world . Please , i need your help urgently. My wife and children are still in Sudan and i promise to bring them to south Africa when i settle down. the money is in RANDS and is more than 5.5million RANDS .
We will talk on the percentage once you reply to this email and I will also inform you more about the fund and the security company where it is deposited.
Please kindly contact me on this privet email for security reason thompsonmohammed1970@gmail.com
Best Regards,
Thompson Mohammed.
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