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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- hj505432@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barrister. Ben Waidhofer" <chieflinusnjokua@gmail.com>
Reply-To: hj505432@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 14 May 2022 12:41:23 -0700
Subject: Investment Offer
Barrister. Ben Waidhofer.
Chambers & Partners.
42 Parker Street
London WC2B 5PQ.
Dear Sir/Ma,
My name is Barrister. Ben Waidhofer. from Chambers & Partners law firm
in London. I act for Mr. Andrew Walker, a former loyalist and a
personal Friend to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin; he flew
into the UK months ago before the invasion of Ukraine by Russian
government. The sum of $3.5b was deposited in a Private bank in
Switzerland for the procurement of MIC war equipment from North Korea
to fight the war, but he has decided to back out of the initial plan
to divert part of the fund for investment in a viable venture.
There is a need for a matured and trusted individual or corporate
organization to receive part of the fund. All the needed documentation
will be perfected here in London.
You are at liberty to respond for more detail.
Thanks.
Regards,
Barrister. Ben Waidhofer
hj505432@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
