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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:
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22566058537 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Sarah Diarra <sarah-diarra015@msn.com>
Reply-To: <misssarahdiarra@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 29 May 2010 21:50:12 +0000
Subject: Hello;
Hello;
Hope you get this on time, sorry I didn't inform you in time about my success in getting my fund transfer out from that bank in my country cote d’ivoire with the help of a new partner from Israel ; presently I am now in Israel with my new partner now.
Dearest I did not forget your pass effort in trying to assist me as of that time as we both lost communication for some time, anyway I thank God for bringing the new partner to my rescue through the help of one ARCH BISHOP THABO MAKGOBA who is presently in Abidjan now. I have already inform the Bishop of your pass effort which I kept with the Bishop a visa credit card that content 300,000 US dollars as a compensation for your kind help as of that time.
I have inform the Bishop that you will be contacting he to claim the card from he any time you have contact him.
Full name: Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.
Here is the email of the Bishop: archbishopthabo@angelic.com
Church Name: Anglican Church
Church email: angelicchurch@angelic.com
Telephone: +225 66058537.
Make sure you reached him once you receive this message so he can post your card to you. Once more thank you very much for your kind help as of that time.
God bless you.
Securely.
Miss Sarah Diarra.
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Anti-fraud resources:
