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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:
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "ba311@qatar.io" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Aishatu Barrie" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ba311@qatar.io>
Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2011 02:59:20 +0930
Subject: Hello
Hello and Goodday to you,
I beg you not to be surprise receiving this mail from me as we have not met each other before, nevertheless I am (Mrs.Aishatu Barrie) a Widow from Liberia.
I am presently residing in Accra Ghana. I write to request your co-operation/assistance to secure an opportunity to invest and go into joint Business partnership with you.
I have a deposit of substantial capital which was made with a Safe Keeping financial institue which I honorably intend to invest jointly with you into a lucrative business venture based on your advice and directive.
I have really gone through so much depress in the past while in Liberia which is my reason of being in Ghana at the present for the safety of my life and Daughter.
The essence of this mail is to open up communication with you to enable us know each other as regards to my plan to scure the deposited funds and invest it jointly under your care in any safe country.
I shall give you all the detailed information and my family background as soon as i hear back from you.
God bless you while I look forward to hearing from you with your contact phone number urgently.
Please get back to me via this Email address:
ba311@qatar.io
My sincere Regards,
Mrs. Aishatu Barrie.
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Anti-fraud resources:
