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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- 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.
- mrschantal11@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Bill Chantal <jm2406770@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrschantal11@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2022 07:35:55 +0100
Subject: SWIFT RESPOND
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Dear Friend......
We bring greetings to you in the name of the lord. This message is
sent to you as a notification that you have been chosen to benefit
from our charity project aimed at touching lives and helping those
that we came across the world as God has blessed us. I won the
Powerball lottery of $ 150 Million on November 2, 2019 and I have
voluntarily decided to donate the sum of $ 75 Million to charity, I try
to reach people randomly from different sources and modes so as to
touch lives from different angles, Hence you are getting a message
here.
You have been listed as one of the lucky recipients to receive $ 8.5
Million dollars
This donation is made out to you so to enable you strengthen your
personal issues and mostly to generously help us extend hands of
giving to the less privileged, orphans and charity organizations
within your locality To verify
https://www.powerball.com/winner-story/150-million-powerball-ticket-claimed
Get back to me on how to receive the donation through our official
email address below ( mrschantal11@gmail.com )
The earlier you contact our email the earlier
you receive your donation
Thanks
Mrs.Bill.Chantal Lawrence
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Anti-fraud resources:
