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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr. Houska Richard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barr.houskarich3@yahoo.es>
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:02:46 -0700
Subject: YOUR FAMILY INHERETANCE
Good Day,
I am Houska Richard, an attorney at law here in Lome Togo West Africa. A deceased client of mine, that shares the same last name as yours died as the
result of a heart-related condition on March 12th 2005. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the tsunami
disaster on the 26th December 2004 in Sumatra Indonesia . And in the record there is no known successor to this deposit of the deceased who died without
a will.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake. I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind before it is
confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at Nine Million Dollars is lodged.
The bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated. I will like you to acknowledge the receipt of this
email as soon as possible via my private email And treat with absolute confidentiality and sincerity. I look forward to your quick reply.call me as
soon as you get this mail.
Your information is needed for documentation such.
1) Your Address .....................
2) Your full name ...............
3} Your direct telephone numbers......................
4} A copy of your international passport or Drivers Lincense....
5) Your profession.................... .........
6) Your nationality................... .....
Best regards,
Houska Richard
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Anti-fraud resources:
