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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:
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Dr.Idrissa Nassa <admin@circleandsquare.co.za>
Reply-To: <dr.idrissan@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2015 02:15:13 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL
Greetings,
I am Dr. Idrissa Nassa, i know that you will be surprise to hear about this business since we don't know each other before, but it was due to the urgency of this business makes me to contact you immediately through email please accept my apology.
I am the manager of (C.B.I) Coris Bank International Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. i need your urgent assistance in transferring this sum of (forty million five hundred thousand United States dollars) to a foreign account, please would you be interested to assist me in this transaction with your bank account to receive this fund.
Therefore, you will have 40% of the above mentioned sum i look forward to receive your return mail for more details on how to execute the transfer to your account.
With my position in the office i assure you with 100% risk free that this transaction is not a childish game play and i want you to indicate your full interest with assurance of trust that you will not betray me once the fund is transfer into your nominated bank account, while i look forward for your urgent reply.
Thanks
Dr. Idrissa Nassa
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Anti-fraud resources:
