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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge deposit" (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)
- "million 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)
- "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: "Karen Wooddells Esq." <engr.edwardo@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dljchambers@legislator.com
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2018 05:21:10 -0800
Subject: PRIVATE.
*Dear Friend,*
*I am Karen Wooddells,Solicitor and Personal attorney to a citizen of your
country,who died in a Plane crash on Monday 2nd September 1998 GMT 14:22 UK
while they were flying from New York to Geneva. You can see the news or
report on the below site.*
*http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9809/swissair.victims.list/index.html
<http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9809/swissair.victims.list/index.html>*
*My client lost his life and entire family on that plane crash. Since
then,I have made several inquiries to locate any of my client's extended
relatives but all to no avail.*
*And because the bank has compelled me to provide his next of kin or have
the account confiscated. I have therefore resolved to contact you to assist
in repatriating this fund before it gets confiscated or declared
serviceable by the bank where this huge deposit is lodged. *
*I need your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so
that the proceeds of this account valued at $18,000,000.00 (Eighteen
million Dollars) can be paid to you.*
*Our sharing ratio is 50% to me and 50 % to you.*
*I have the certificate of deposit that can be used to back up any claim we
may make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see the
deal through.*
*And I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with
me strictly via email to enable us discuss further.*
*Best regards.*
*Karen Wooddells Esq. *
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