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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.
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Frank Ebo Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ebo.brown1960@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:09:17 -0700
Subject: From: Frank Ebo Brown...
Attn: Sir
It is understandable if you are apprehensive reading from me today since there was no previous communication between us.
However, I implore your attention to the herewith contained subject matter which benefits our interest. I came across your
contact via a scrupulous search conducted by an IT specialist whom I have employed for the same transaction.
I am Frank Ebo Brown (Mr) and I promote this communication in my capacity as the principal attorney of my law firm. A
deceased client Campbell died in 2015 leaving a sum a little above US$ 18.5 million in his account in Bank of America.
Normally banking procedure requires the bank to declare the account forfeitable and to transfer the proceeds to the Registry
of Unclaimed Property for government use after 8 years from the time of death of the diseased.
I am disposed to present you as the beneficiary and administrator of the account. It may also interest you to know that
this transaction will be executed within the parameter of the law; nothing will be done outside of it. If you are not
familiar with estate and probate court regulations, I shall promote further information to you concerning these in the
future. Whereas I am proposing a mutual sharing of the estate and a charity donation in part, we will discuss the ratios
succinctly and promote them in a written signed agreement before commencement.
The decision concerning charity organizations to make donations can be discussed in good faith when we meet. I wish to
submit that I would expect nothing less but honesty and transparency. I will uncover to you further information on the
matter in our following communications. If this matter interests you, kindly revert accordingly with your direct phone
number for further exhaustive dialogue.
Thank you for your time and I am looking forward to your business relationship.
Kind Regards
Frank Ebo Brown
ATTORNEY AT-LAW
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Anti-fraud resources:
