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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 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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- 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.
- tntcompany@mail.com (Mail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "WEllS FARGO" <ifordia@iford-cm.org>
Reply-To: barramary987@vivaldi.net
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:00:37 GMT
Subject: ATTENION
WELLS FARGO BANK.
Address: 3585 Atlanta Ave, Hapeville, GA 30354, United States
Attention is needed, Greetings from the Wells Fargo bank. I have a vital information which needs to be attended immediately. Did you authorized anyone to pick up your inheritance fund from our branch in Hapeville GA? One Mr Andrew Cox came to our office yesterday in-respect of your $100 million dollars which has been credited with us for the past 2 months now by the Federal Government to be transferred into your account. He said that you authorized him to pick up the fund.
This fund has been in our custody for the past two months now and we have been waiting for you to contact us but we didn't know what is hindering you from reaching us since. So we decided to write to you to make sure that you are fine and aware of the inheritance fund of $100million dollars in our branch office in Hapeville GA.
Note: you’re to get to us within 24 hours and make the payment of $147 dollars for the delivery permit fee.
Resend your full details for security reasons.
Full name............
next of kin ............
Email address ............
Id copy ............
Get back to us with these details if you didn't authorize anyone to pick up your funds.
contact us : tntcompany@mail.com
If found this mail in spam box please move to inbox
Thank you and remain blessed.
Yours sincerely.Mr Albert Maxwell
Managing Director Wells Fargo Bank.
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Anti-fraud resources:
