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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR. RICHARD KELVIN" <lapoiinte.carman@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dr.richardkelv@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:17:06 -0800
Subject: Investment Proposal
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am a Security Manager in Crystal Urban Security Company in Panama. I work
closely with International investors most of them are politicians and
businessmen and women who wished to invest their funds in profitable
business ventures with less or no taxation on their income.
However, I have some of my trusted wealthy individuals and public officials
who are fearful of any lick to the funds they have invested in Mossack
Fonseca shell corporations and wish to pull out of the corporations and
invest their funds in the hands of various individuals or corporations
elsewhere. Hence, I am contacting you today to ask your interest in
handling huge sum of money on behalf of my trusted wealthy friends.
It is in my best interest to know how much you can handle starting from
US$15 Million to US$8 Billion.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
NOTE: KINDLY CONSIDER THIS MESSAGE AS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL, YOU CAN DELETE
IT BUT DO NOT SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH ANYONE.
Thanks and remain blessed.
Regards,
Dr. Richard Kelvin.
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Anti-fraud resources:
