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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "accredited attorney" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (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.
- attperrywat@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Rose Alico" <"WWW."@helen.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "attperrywat@gmail.com" <attperrywat@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2017 21:34:56 +0900 (JST)
Subject: You should contact the accredited Attorney with all your details
Dear Beneficiary,
Your full Payment of Four Million five Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars) from UB Bank Benin has been Released and Approved for onward transfer to
you Via an ATM card which you will use to withdraw the USD 4.5 Million in any ATM
Machine in any part of the world.
You should contact the accredited Attorney with this financial house to
send you the card and Pin number which you will use to activate of your
card only in your city as it have been programmed to be activated with
banks in your location. Your ATM card is well documented with every legal
document to cover it from not having any problem with your Interior Ministry
or with your Internal Revenue Service. You should reconfirm this information;
Your Full Name*
Your Telephone*
Your Address*
Your City*
State/Province*
Your Country*
You should forward this information to the Attorney through his address:
Perry Watson
Avenue Jean Paul I BP 325- Cotonou
Email:attperrywat@gmail.com
Tel + 229-67856743.
Best Regards.
Mrs.Rose Alico.
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Anti-fraud resources:
