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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- muhammad.gaddafi2005@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Office" <Office@crossroadspsych.net>
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 09:55:33 -0400
Subject: Treat as Urgent
Attn,
Please bear with me for using this media to contact you. I know you will be surprise to read from me. I got your contact from my family trusted source., apart from you being surprise you may be skeptical based on the vicious lies they rebels and their accomplices are spreading on the social media, pages of newspapers and Television/ radio stations all over the world against my family. It’s me Muhammad Muammar Abu Minyar Al-Gaddafi. The first son of the late Libya leader. I want you to help my family safeguard the sum of $800million USD. The said funds is in a deposit Account in Nigeria. We have decided to entrust these funds into your possession because of your personal status and also thereafter invest them for us. Please if you are willing to help safeguard these funds don't hesitate to respond fast and ensure you keep this email confidential. You will be entitle to 30% of the total investment capital, while the remaining 70% will be invested by you on our behalf.
Do contact me on my personal email address: muhammad.gaddafi2005@yahoo.com and i will reveal my confidential information about this project and the process framework to you upon receipt of your letter of intent to work with my family for the actualization of this project.
Regards,
Muhammad Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi (Elder Son).
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Anti-fraud resources:
