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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:
- "the consignment" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ms. Pankova Tatiana" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mstatianapankova@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 06:34:54 +0100
Subject: OKay..................///
Attn ;
I am Ms. Pankova Tatiana i write to seek your services in a private
and confidential matter regarding your assistant on some bothering
issue in my mind. I have just found out that my late husband has
some investment fund that was deposited in Europe which I am still
trying to get hold of the fund which has made me to feel so sad
over my inability to get access of the fund.
But I have manage to chat with one of his closed associate who is in
Germany which he has assured me to help trace the fund . He said
that the fund was deposited with an open beneficiary belonging to a
foreigner .
That I will surely need someone who will stand as the beneficiary of
the fund. So I might need your assistant on that as well so that we
can claim the consignment. I promised to concede 30% of the total sum
to you once the fund is claim and also you will help me concerning
investment in your country e.g. Real estate , Solar and Green Energy
and I love Mechanised agriculture farming etc.
I will appreciate your kind advised and assistant. You can reach me
as well with this email address
Kindly get back to me.
Regards,
Ms. Pankova Tatiana
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Anti-fraud resources:
