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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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Fox Roy" <mr.fox.roy31@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.foxroy31@aol.com
Date: Wed, 5 May 2021 15:41:06 +0200
Subject: Dear Friend
*Dear Friend*
*Good day to you and your family. I apologize if the content here-under are
contrary to your moral ethics but please treat with absolute Secrecy and
personal. My name is Mr. Fox Roy I have a business transaction of €22.5
Million which I want you to assist me to receive this money in your
country; this money was deposited to our security company where I work for
safe keeping by Mr. Mr. Guotin Changpu a Chinese Citizen.*
*He died by Covid-19 in China for the past 1 year, Mr. Guotin Changpu is a
business man and also a Gold dealer, due to there was to next of kin to the
fund that was deposited to our Security Guard Service Company and the
company board executive director of this company want to embezzle the fund
as unclaimed fund, please I want you to step forward for the claim of the
fund as the only surviving relative to Mr. Guotin Changpu and 50% of the
total fund will be for you why 50% will be for me, please contact me if you
are interested for more information and I will instruct you how you will *
*contact the company for the release of the fund to you.*
*I await your urgent response as soon as possible.*
*Regard*
*Mr. Fox Roy*
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Anti-fraud resources:
