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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.)
- 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.
- jonatmartim@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: sales@i-flip.live
Reply-To: jonatmartim@gmail.com
Date: 11 Oct 2022 00:48:28 -0500
Subject: Kindly Treat As Urgent!
Dear Sir/Ma,
I am Barrister Jonathan Martim, a lawyer and attorny in charge of
all legal affairs which includes next of kin verification and
approval for asste tranfers and also head of sales and
procurement depertment here in our company. I have one of our
late huge investor and business man from your country who has a
similar name with you. I have tried to reach out to his family
but all to no avail until I stumbled on your contact and I'm very
glad that my long search for you is over.
I request your consent to present you as the next of kin with the
following relatives in order to continue to release his funds
that is unknown to anyone but with strict instructions from him
while he was alive to be released to only you. This fund is
estimated at the sum of $ 5.5 million. Kindly get back to me on
my private email address which is jonatmartim@gmail.com for
further verification and instructions to proceed with the
transfer of your asset..
I'll look forward to hearing from you.
Good luck.
Barrister Jonathan Martim.
Atorney and Solicitor.
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Anti-fraud resources:
