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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: ngog amaha <barrngogamaha.info11@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2013 12:44:14 +0100
Subject: Urgent Attention Needed
*From Barrister Ngog Amaha.*
*Senior Partner of CMC Chambers*
*Law Firm Lome-Togo.*
* *
*Dear Friend,*
* *
*Please excuse me for interfering into your privacy in this manner; I
Barrister Ngog Amaha, a solicitor at law and family attorney to my "Late"
client who died in a fatal car accident while visiting a neighboring
country on vacation alongside his family? Ever since then, as his family
attorney I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my
clients extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.*
* *
*I need your assistance urgently in repatriating the fund valued at ($7.5
Million) Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars only left behind by my
Late client before it is confiscated by the finance firm or declared it
unserviceable. I can assure you that there is no risk involved as all the
documents relating to the fund is with me to back up this claim for our
mutual benefit.*
* *
*Kindly get back to me as I will be waiting for your positive response for
more details and clarifications.*
* *
*Kind Regards. *
*Barrister Ngog Amaha Esq.*
* *
* *
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Anti-fraud resources:
