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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Joel Young <oficeresultfile@gmail.com>
Reply-To: joel.young@equitylawfirm.net
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2018 00:19:28 +0100
Subject: RE
Sir/Ma,
I am contacting you in respect of my late client's inheritance fund
amounting Five Million Five hundred thousand dollars only ($5,500,000.00)
awaiting claim with a leading bank here in the US. As soon as I hear from
you , I will provide you the his online account Access to enable you
confirm the inheritance fund to enable you confirm the status of his
account before we will start processing the release in your name as the
next of kin beneficiary.
Reply with your Full name and contact phone number for more information in
details.
I awaits your urgent response.
Yours Faithfuly,
joel.young
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Anti-fraud resources:
