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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 united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "andr3w.jones@yandex.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Andrew Jones" <support@plushhomesco.com>
Reply-To: andr3w.jones@yandex.com
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2021 13:59:00 +0000
Subject: Hello Good Day/I wait for your reply.
Good day.
I am Mr. Andrew Jones, a consultant here in the United
Kingdom (UK) and working closely with top officials of a
PRIME bank in United Arab Emirate (UAE). We have recently
discovered funds left behind by my late client who died
along with his wife and only son in March 2020 due to
complications on covid19 (Coronavirus) in Italy.
I contacted you to assist me in recovering the fund valued
at ($11Million USD) Eleven Million United State Dollars
Only as the Bank where this fund is deposited has issued
me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the fund
confiscated.
I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to
the deceased so that the proceeds of this fund can be paid
to you. I guarantee that this will be executed under 100%
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any
breach of the law reply via this email:( andr3w.jones@yandex.com )
I will give you more details once i hear from you.
Sincerely,
Mr. Andrew Jones.
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Anti-fraud resources:
