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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- oyibopatrick24@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Oyibo Patrick <yibpatrick@gmail.com>
Reply-To: oyibopatrick24@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2022 23:04:33 +0100
Subject: Good day
Dear Sir/Madam,
Hello i am contacting you from Eco Petroleum Company here in west African
support
me i want to transfer USD$18.5 Million Dollars in to your bank account We
need your
Urgent assistance go ahead i have Agreed with my colleagues to come and
invested
the money now Respond for the transfer of the funds to your bank account
however
You are going to take 30% for your Share and 65% for the transaction over
there to do
The transaction please Reply Email oyibopatrick24@yahoo.com
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/uyjvve3js4wn/?&cs=wh&v to=oyibopatrick24@yahoo.com>
i will send the funds to your bank account then help us be interested for
this business
the administrative Steps needed For the transfer of the funds will be done
to get the
money kindly write an email very urgent i shall offer entitlement to you so
contact me
Best Regards
Engineer Oyibo Patrick
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Anti-fraud resources:
