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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:
- "million pounds" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- towenesq@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Attorney Tyler Owen <gvalera@cunamas.gob.pe>
Reply-To: "towenesq@yahoo.com" <towenesq@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2018 13:41:25 -0500 (PET)
Subject: Proposal
I am Attorney Tyler Owen, a solicitor to a client who died due to a brief illness (Heart Attack)in 2007 and left a fixed deposit of 14.8 Million Pounds in a Bank here in the United Kingdom without leaving no next of Kin.Am writing you to seek your consent to present you as his next of kin as you both have the same last name.
What i am proposing is 100% risk free i guarantee and you stand to make a lot of money for yourself.I have all documents to back my claim and have these funds transferred to you in less than 2 weeks and we can both split the proceeds.Kindly get back to me in receipt of this email.
ESQ.Tyler Owen
Barrister-at-Law Franco Associates
Advocate, Supreme Court of London
towenesq@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
