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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- ambrosecooker389@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Jennifer Erich Jennifer Erich <jennifererichjennifererich@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ambrosecooker389@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2022 21:11:54 -0800
Subject: Greetings to you my Dear!
Greetings My Dear Friend,
On behalf of friendship and love i need your urgent assistance in
transferring the sum of $10.5million immediately to your private
account. The money has been here in our Bank lying dormant for years
now without anybody coming for the claim of it.
I also need you to corporate with me for the release of this money
into your private bank account as the relative to our deceased
customer (the account owner) who died on 2016 terrorist attack at
Splendid Hotel Ouagadougou Burkina Faso,with her Wife.and i really
need you to stand as the NEXT OF KIN to this family.that is why i
contacted you and as soon as this money is been channel to your
account i will come over to meet you in your country for the share of
the money and remember The money will be shared 60% for me and 40% for
you.
Check out the web; (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35332792)
for more understanding, I shall send you more information and the bank
details when I receive your positive response from you to follow
up,therefore contact me with my private email.
ambrosecooker389@gmail.com
Thanks with my best regards.
Mr. Ambrose Cooker
Telex Manager
African Development Bank (ADB)
Burkina Faso
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Anti-fraud resources:
