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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- revjamesbrown270@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Melissa Kaye" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <revjamesbrown270@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2022 05:10:11 -0800
Subject: COMPENSATION FUND $
Dearest Friend,
I am Mrs. Melissa Kaye and I'm very happy to inform you about my success in getting my funds transferred into my bank account with the help of my in-law from India. Now, I want you to contact my secretary on the information below and receive your compensation fund of $2.5Million U.S Dollars.
I will advise you to send the following information for proper arrangement.
Full Name:
Home Address:
Direct Telephone:
Country:
Age:
Occupation
ID card:
NB: If you didn't send him the above information, he will not release the fund to you, because he has to be sure that it's you and I instruct him to send the total amount of $2.5Million U.S Dollars in an ATM Master Card to you.
Below is the Rev James Brown information.
Name: Rev James Brown
Email: revjamesbrown270@gmail.com
NB: I will not be reached by email or phone for now because I am currently out of the states for investment purposes with my share and I will be busy till six months or a year.
I await your urgent response.
Regards,
Mrs. Melissa Kaye
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Anti-fraud resources:
