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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:
- "million us 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <abdulrahmanhassan823@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 23:43:20 -0700
Subject: Email me back its very important
Hello
I am so sorry for sending you this unsolicited and unexpected mail. I am Abdulrahman Hassan the senior assistance to the late President Mammaur Gaddafi who has entrusted to me the sum of $25,000,000.00 (Twenty Five Million US Dollars) cash in a sealed security luggage few days before he was killed by the NTC Rebels here in Libya.
My late boss instructed me to escape with this Fund to Algeria where his wife is currently in asylum but I diverted the entire movement of the Fund to a secured security vault in Europe because I am personally against all the atrocities he committed against my fellow innocent Libyans and the looting of our natural resources by him and his family. Actually I would count myself a lucky man because the news is all over about the jury concerning the two Gadaffi sons and other of his men.
Please I seek your indulgence to assist me receive this Fund for safe keeping. Then later we discuss how this Fund could be disbursed among us and invested in any good business field as you may suggest and some part to establish less privilege centers in your country to help the poor children.
I will give you full details and clear evidence regarding this matter as soon as you respond back to this email with your
Full name,
Contact address
Telephone number
Please treat this matter as urgent as possible as I wait your sincere response to this proposal.
Best Regards,
Abdulrahman Hassan
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Anti-fraud resources:
