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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 united states 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)
- "fbi washington" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Intelligence Agency" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <intelligenceagency991@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2022 14:04:34 -0800
Subject: Central Intelligence Agency
UNITED STATES BOARD OF SECURITY AGENCIES
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR GINA HASPEL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C. 20505
ZIP Codes: 22101, 22102
This is to officially inform you that sum of $10.5 Million United States
dollars was transferred from the custody of the Federal Bureau
Investigation FBI Washington DC to this very office on 24th January 2022
along with your files demanding for immediate probe into your material and
financial transactions with African countries. It's indeed not in our
tradition to execute this operation without hearing the opposite or the
defendant. Therefore, this is to inform you that United States Central
The Intelligence Agency is now in charge of this case, and we have come for
peace and to settle whatever that might be found difficult by other agencies
as United States President Joe Biden has ordered. We will be glad to
hear in detail what happened and why you have abandoned your fund even
though you were told that the fund is currently in the United States. Briefly
put your reasons in detail for us to know how we will resolve this case
without it leading to investigations.
Note that we are here for peace and to get this fund to you successfully
unless you take our mission for granted! We will be expecting your
immediate feedback!!
Yours Faithfully
Gina Haspel
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington DC U
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Anti-fraud resources:
