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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:
- "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: JAMES MIKE <douglasterry409@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mike91878@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2021 01:05:56 -0800
Subject: ATTENTION!!!!!
--
Hello I’m Mr.JAMES MIKE the New Manager of Standard Chartered Bank,
I want to let you know that we receive an email from a young woman called
Mrs. Marston Dale she said that you died in coronavirus last week and
before you died in the hospital you gave her the power of attorney to
inherit your fund worth the sum of $12.6 million dollars in our bank and she
agreed to pay the Tax Clearance charge for us to hand over the fund to her,
and we need a confirmation from you as soon as you receive my email before
we give her the access to your fund but if we didn't hear from you till
next three working days, then we are going to take the action by handing
her over the fund. Remember to reconfirm your Full information to us for
Mutual understanding :
Your Name_______
Address: ______
Occupation: ____
Phone Number: _____
Age and Gender_______
Best Regard
Quick Reply
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