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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- nickprettejohntsb@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: NICK PRETTEJOHN TSB <stevendavid7195@gmail.com>
Reply-To: nickprettejohntsb@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2022 02:14:08 +0100
Subject: Dear Valued Customer
Dear Valued Customer,
How are you today? You will be surprise as i am writing this letter to
you because you might not know me but i am a senior Banker here in
London. I came across your file here in the Bank after been
transferred from our head office to replace the foreign operation
director in our regional office who is now on retirement After going
through your file, i find out that you have an outstanding payment
here in the Bank to the sum of Thirty Million, five hundred thousand
United States Dollars with an accrued interest agreement of 5%, which
has been in effect for the past years. I also went further to verify
the account and it came to my notice that the account is now dormant.
Considering the new law passed by the United Kingdom Government
parliament on dormant accounts, i decided to move this fund out from
the dormant account to avoid Government authorities making use of this
fund. I have fully secured this fund on your behalf in an Escrow
account and this fund was fully secured against government seizure. I
decided to move this fund out of your dormant online account with us
because of the United Kingdom Government statement and implementation
of the new law to use the fund in dormant accounts here in United
Kingdom to carry out social services in the Country like funding of
voluntary groups and community projects. Rishi Sunak the new prime
Minister has ordered action to took place immediately for you can read
the past news on the link below which is now under implementation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4017381.stm
This is why you should respond urgently for more guideline on how this
fund will get to you safely and also keep the detail very confidential
because i don’t want anything that will dent my name or have my good
reputation destroyed here in the Bank. I am doing this to help you
receive this fund because i don’t want government to claim this fund
after seeing all you have suffered in the hand of corrupt official in
the past to claim this fund. Delaying is dangerous at this time. Call
me on my direct line: +1 202 892 6000 and as well give me a direct
number to reach you quickly. Also email me on my direct email.(
nickprettejohntsb@gmail.com) for guideline on how i can assist you
move this fund to your country of origin.
Looking forward to hear from you as
quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Nick Prettejohn the Chairman TSB BANK Group
Email..nickprettejohntsb@gmail.com
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