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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- wumanagement8@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: WU management <johnbillfbiservice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wumanagement8@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2023 08:26:26 -0700
Subject: GOOD NEWS !
Hello my dear , I'm  Mr Terry James  from Western Union and I want to
informed you that the African Union (AU) with the United Nation (UN)
is making refunds of $7.4 million USD Â of each to victims whom his/her
email address was listed on the scammers address books which your
email ID was among those found in the Address book, You are such lucky
person to be listed for compensation.
And this is your last opportunity because by the end of this month if
you did not comply for the fee of $50 Steam gift card, Google gift
card or iTunes gift card for signing of document by the necessary
signatory your transfer file will be cancelled and your funds return
to government treasury as unclaimed bill.
Hope to hear back from you now with the above listed gift card, Email:
( wumanagement8@gmail.com )
Yours sincerely WU management
Mr. Terry James
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Anti-fraud resources:
