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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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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.
- s.dhl488@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "JERRY NELSON" <info@usa.org>
Reply-To: nelson.j41186@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 2021 02:48:44 -0800
Subject: Regards
Attn:
Be officially informed that the re-activation fee and the delivery
charges of your parcel have been settled with the board directors
after the meet, You are free now to receive your approve Master ATM
card through deliver firm listed as directed. All that you are to do
is to contact the delivery firm for delivery of your ATM Master CARD
urgent.It was done by our email random selection for all Unpaid
contracts/inheritance funds and scam victims to be compensated.your
mail address was among selected,I have sent this email to you last
time and you did not contact up till today.Now you should required
urgent to send your full delivery information to the delivery firm.
Bellow are to contact Asap;
Name: Rev. Mrs. Linda Brown.
Director: Customer Service care DHL.
Email: s.dhl488@yahoo.com
Then you should immediate reconfirm your full details as required:
Your name:
Your country:
Your home address:
Your Tel phone number:
Identity card:
Do this as soon as possible if you wish to receive your ATM Master
card this proud in time, The total sum loaded in the card is only (
$900,000.00, United States Dollars,) The only thing you have to pay is
the officially approved security keeping fee charges of $275usd
only.Then you should ask for their method through which you will be
use to send the required as directed.
Regards
JERRY NELSON
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Anti-fraud resources:
