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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- infofile487@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: MR.ERIC SAMUEL <neil.carroll@rafmuseum.org>
Reply-To: infofile487@gmail.com
Date: 20 Aug 2020 15:03:52 +0300
Subject: Urgent responds now.
Headquarters:
International Monetary Fund
700 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20431
Email: infofile487@gmail.com
Fax: (202) 623-4461
Urgent responds now.
After several investigations and research at internet database we
find you among those that have been defrauded and this proves
that you have truly been swindled by scammers in the hope of
getting one fund or the other that is not real We are working
together
agencies to track every fraudsters down,do not respond to their
e-mails,letters and phone calls any longer as they are scams and
you should be very careful to avoid being a victim to fraudsters
any longer because they have nothing to offer you but to rip-off
what you have worked earnestly hard to earn.
The sum of Eight Million Seven Hundred Thousand US Dollars
(US$8.7M USD) should be transferred to you as compensation for
been defrauded.Be warned! Stop all communication with them.We
have deposited your fund at payment agent location where the
investigation started. Reconfirm your information to them so they
can be sure of the person they
are paying.
Contact the payment agent office through this email address
stated below;
Contact person: Mr.Eric Samuel
Email:( infofile487@gmail.com )
Yours sincerely,
MR.ERIC SAMUEL,
Investigation Officer
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Anti-fraud resources:
