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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Alexander Milner" <icpcantifraudunitjustice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: alexwmilner@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2021 01:58:04 -0800
Subject: Urgent Response is needed
--
I am Mr.Alexander Milner, a member of the Audit and Remittance
Committee Snowmobile Corporation (UK). I need a silent foreign partner
in the United States of America who I can trust to re-profile an
outstanding contract fund and transfer for lucrative investment and
charity work. I will give you details of the deal as you respond
promptly to this proposal. The funds shall be moved to your account in
the United States from our operating bank, where it is currently
deposited after proper documentations in your name as the beneficiary
contractor of the fund.
The fund is valued at Thirty Million U.S Dollars and you will not be
obliged to be responsible for the expenses in this transaction as I
and my committee have made adequate arrangement for a credible and
reliable US Investor to provide us with all the funds we need to
settle all expenses and cost associated with the release of the funds
to your nominated account.
I will give you more details when you reply.
Regards,
Mr.Alexander Milner
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Anti-fraud resources:
