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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Viktoriya Ostap <viktoriyaviktoriyaostap@gmail.com>
Reply-To: viktoriyaostapv@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:16:24 +0100
Subject: From Madam.Viktoriya Ostap
Hello,
Good day, I know this message will be a surprise to you as we don"t
know each before. My name is Madam Viktoriya Ostap from Ukraine. I
will like to ask for your assistance to receive in your bank account
the sum of Fifteen Million seven hundred thousand united states
Dollars (US$15.7 million) my late husband deposited in a bank in
France for investment in your country.
This is a legitimate transaction and I will offer you 30% of the total
fund for your assistance as my foreign partner after confirmation of
the fund in your bank account. Please if you are interested to handle
this project kindly get back to me with the following question below.
1. Can you handle this transaction?
2.Will you help me for the investment of the fund in your country?
3.Can you help me and my daughter to come over to your country?
Your urgent response is expecting please if you are not interested
delete this message and don’t bother to respond
Regards
Madam.Viktoriya Ostap
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Anti-fraud resources:
