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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "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.
- barrusmanbello885@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr. Usman Bello." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrusmanbello85@bk.ru>
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:30:32 +0200
Subject: Barr. Usman Bello.
Dear Sir,
I am Barr. Usman Bello an attorney to my late client Robert Norman the former managing director of Shell oil company Plc whom died after battling from COVID 19 and eventually died at the isolation center on the 26th/January/2021 which his daughter that was his next of kin also died on 22nd/February/2021 from the same COVID 19 virus disease.
In fact, why i contacted you is that want to front you as my client next of kin which it will be very easy for me to front you as his next of kin so that we can apply for this claim of his funds of $29.350m with his bank here in Nigeria hence his next of kin is no more existing.
So if you accept to make this deal with me in other to claim the stated funds then i shall change the next of kin documents to your name/favor then after the success of this deal you will take 35% and 5% shall be set aside for any expenses which might arise during this transaction and 60% will be my own share.
Waiting to receive your reply if you accept this deal and condition.
Barr. Usman Bello.
barrusmanbello885@mail.ru
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Anti-fraud resources:
