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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:
- "dearest beloved one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
- gm6306733@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Eunice Sanchez <mrs.graceyann@gmail.com>
Reply-To: eunisan2020@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:48:55 +0100
Subject: Dearest Beloved One,
Dearest Beloved One,
My name is Eunice Sanchez from the United States; I am a Christian,
recently diagnosed with COVID-19. From all indications my condition is
worsening according to the doctors and the recent COVID-19 test. I want to
entrust the sum of (US$10,000,000.00) Ten Million United States Dollar that
I inherited from my late husband to you for charity work with a strong
focus on the poor and victims of COVID-19. I decided to entrust the fund to
you because I do not have a child and it has always been my desire to help
the less privileged and vulnerable people in the society. Please let me
know urgently if you are interested, so that I will present you to the bank
for the release of the fund to you.
Please contact me urgently with my private email address (
gm6306733@gmail.com) for more details.
Best regards.
Mrs. Eunice Sanchez
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Anti-fraud resources:
