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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 beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us 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)
- "you will take 25%" (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: "Katherine" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <katherinepascal123@mypanel.biz>
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2020 02:49:49 -0700
Subject: Dear Beloved One
Dear Beloved,
Please kindly pardon me for any inconvenience this letter may cost you because I know it may come to you as a surprise as we have no previous correspondence. I am Mrs Esther Katherine, I have been suffering from ovarian cancer disease and the doctor says that I have just a few days to live. I am from (Paris) France, but I was in the United States of America with my late husband as an importation and exportation Business family before he died and I started this bad illness.
Due to the Virus all over the world and now that I am about to end the race like this, without any family members and no child. My late husband and I had Millions Of Dollars in Bank of America which I instructed the Bank to share with the Orphanages Homes in the USA immediately this sickness started. But my mind is not at rest because I am writing this letter now through the help of my laptop beside my sickbed.
We also have $17.5 Million US Dollars at Barclays Bank in America and I will also instruct the bank manager to transfer the fund to you as a foreigner business partner that will apply to the bank, That they should release the funds to you to start building orphanage homes and help poor people with it. But you will assure me that you will take 25% of the fund and use 75% to the orphanage homes in your country and other countries for my heart to rest.
Respond to me immediately for further details, I have just a few days to end my life due to ovarian cancer disease.
Best Regards
Mrs Esther Katherine.
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Anti-fraud resources:
