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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 next of kin scam.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Hon. Gibson Solundo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gbsolundo@e-mail.ua>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:56:24 -0700
Subject: RE: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT KINDLY GET BACK TO ME.
Good day,
I am Hon. Gibson Solundo (S.A.B) from Republic of Benin, one time legal adviser to the former President General Mathew Kereku. It is my pleasure to inform you that you have the sum of $7.1M Seven million, one hundred thousand United States dollars that belongs to you ready for transfer with a Bank here in my country. This fund was willed to you as an inheritance fund by my late client.
I got the information that the fund transfer unit manager that was suppose to carry out the transfer of your inheritance fund died without transferring your fund and since then your file has been abandoned there at the bank.
As your inheritance fund is about to be diverted by some of the top management of the bank if something is not done very fast, I thought it wise to contact you vie e-mail and pass this information across to you so that you can contact the bank immediately and alert them of your unpaid inheritance fund to enable them release and transfer your inheritance fund immediately.
I will be here to back you up with all the legal documents required for the bank to release and transfer your inheritance fund to you. I am doing this because I know when you get your $7.1M definitely you must compensate me for helping you.
Get back to me as soon as you receive this email through my email address ( gbsolundo@e-mail.ua ) or you call me through this telephone number +229 98 23 40 42.
Till I hear from you, remain bless.
Hon. Gibson Solundo. (S.A.B)
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Anti-fraud resources:
