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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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Alex Putilov <commissionf004@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mralexputilov1@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2023 11:58:01 +0100
Subject: I need your help
Good morning to you. Well I'm writing this message to you now to seek for
your consent regarding your proposal I would want us to have together.
First my name is Mr. Alex Putilov, I'm the CEO of Alex Putilov Resources
LTD. I have chains of companies globally. I'm from czech republic though
raised in Russia.
I'm into oil production and it's a business that has made me travel from
one country to another and I'm about 75 years old now.
Everybody knows what's happening right here in Russia so I want to move my
funds and company out of this country as I can't stand the hard sanctions
that this country will face as a result of Putin and his stubbornness.
I have about $800.000.000 million dollars in a bank I want to move abroad
and I needed a trusted friend or partner to link up with. Please if you can
be sincere enough I will give you the contact of my bank in New York so
that the documents will be changed in your name and you'll be in custody of
the funds till I arrive there for a proper investment. I want you to serve
as my investment manager.
I look forward to hear from you soonest.
Sincerely,
Mr. Alex Putilov
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Anti-fraud resources:
