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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs Kathryn Porter"<abello@avilatv.gob.ve>
Reply-To: kathryn.porter@kathrynporterconsultants.com
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2019 13:54:31 -0700
Subject: Hello
I am contacting you concerning a deceased customer and an investment he pla=
ced under our bank=2019s management in 2005 to the tune of =A314.8 Million =
Pounds Sterling. He later died in 2007 and we discovered he did not leave a=
ny next of kin.
In the process of review of the financial report by my department, I disco=
vered that both of you have a similar last name; hence I contacted you so t=
hat I can give you further briefing on my intention and how to disburse the=
funds. You share the same surname with our late client and i am willing to=
place you in a position to instruct my bank to release the deposit to you =
as the closest surviving relation.Please get back to me as soon as possible.
Mrs Kathryn Porter
Financial Advisory
Business Consultant
H.O.P LLoyds Bank TSB
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Anti-fraud resources:
