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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- rusticobanku@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Rustico Lawson Banku <sunnyabula0@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bankukanku@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2021 01:57:31 -0800
Subject: Dear friend,.
Dear friend,
I am sorry for reaching you through this medium as it is the most
convenient way for me to reach you now based on the urgency and its
importance. My name is Barr. Rustico Banku, a legal practitioner and
also the personal legal attorney to (Engr.Philip) who happens to be
your cousin as been traced to your lineage because of you have the
same last names with him, i have an important message for you on his
behalf concerning retrieving of his funds amounting to the sum of
US$13.8 Million with a Bceao bank here in Togo before his death
because the board of directors of the bank is planning to confiscate
the consignment fund if i couldn't present the next of kin to his
estates within the next 21 working days. Please get back to me
immediately if you are interested to work with me to redeem this fund,
so that i will give you more explanation about this and how to proceed
with the claim officially with the bank. Write to me direct to my
private email (rusticobanku@aol.com ) for more details.
Regards,
(Associate l Rustico Banku (SAT TV)
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Anti-fraud resources:
