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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:
- "million 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)
- ",500,000" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Blanca Gomez
Reply-To: <christopherlane720@citromail.hu>
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 00:33:57 -0700
Subject: Confirmation Request
Attn,
We received several emails from one Mr. Peter Anderson who narrated to us about how you passed away due to the current pandemic 2weeks ago. Mr. Peter made us understand that you tested positive for Covid19 and later died of the virus at the isolation center He stated that he is your business associate and your next of kin whom you have chosen and permitted to inherit all your properties.
He is contacting this office based on your contract/Inheritance payment fund valid US $40,500,000.00 (Fourty million, five hundred thousand dollars only) Which is about to be paid to you. He requested that the payment should Now be transferred into his own personal account as he stated below.
Account Name Mr. Peter Anderson
Citibank Banamex USA
2029 Century Park East Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: 18002227534
Routing Number: 122233045
Account Number: 5944130310
We request your confirmation before we can process this transfer to Mr. Peter Anderson Bank Account. This is to avoid releasing your money to wrong person because Mr. Peter is too eager and ready to follow every instruction to have this money into his account. If you did not test positive for Covid19 and you did not permit Mr. Peter to claim your money.
Kindly reply to this message with your full contact information so we can process the release of the $40.5 million dollars to you.
Waiting to hear from you
Mrs Blanca Gomez
Director Payment Department
Wellsfargo Bank
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Anti-fraud resources:
