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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 us 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)
- ",000,000" (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: Janet Yallen <heatherauthor2@gmail.com>
Reply-To: janetyallen70@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2021 13:55:55 +0100
Subject: ATTENTIONS DEAR
--
ATTENTION DEAR!!
How are you doing?
Please this text shouldn't be ignored,this is Janet Louise Yellen from
the Treasury Department USA ,
Last week Friday the total sum of $50Million Us Dollars
($50,000,000.00 UsDollars) was transferred into our office by some
agents from the Kuwait Funds Donation Commission and in conjunction
with the France Ministry of Finance with your Beneficiary Details
stating that the funds is an inheritance and a compensation funds for
being a scam victims, so after I had a meeting with Mr Christopher
Wray In order to investigate on these funds because this has not
happened since I was appointed as the United states secretary of the
Treasury and finally we have investigated on this funds and everything
happens to be true and legit so I decided to contact you personal for
us to deal on this funds issue and also to verify from you so please
kindly get back to me with the reconfirmation of your full Details
Such as
Your full Name
Your full Address
Your phone phone
Your Email Address
NOTE!the reason I ask for your details is to verify it with the
information they used in transferring this funds into our office
Thanks
Yours sincerely
Janet Louise Yellen
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Anti-fraud resources:
