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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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: Grace Konan <hm.diablo@mbn.nifty.com>
Reply-To: grace01emma@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2017 23:06:14 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greetings my Dearest
Hello good day Sir,
I'm Miss. Grace Konan an orphan from the Republic of Ivory Coast in Western
Coast of Africa. I lost my both parents as a result of Al-Qaeda Militant
Attack at Grand Bassam Beach here in my country on 14th of March 2016.
You might be surprise how i got your email address,
Well i got your email from a webpage on internet search after my prayers that
God should lead me to a good person that will understand my present situations
and help me.
Actually my reason for contacting you today is that I need your urgent
assistance to claim and transfer my late father deposit Fund sum of USD
$5,500,000.00 Dollars to your account so that i can relocate over to your
country and stay with you and your family and continue my education while you
will help me to Invest the money very well because I am too young to handle
this money since I am 18 years old girl. This money belongs to my late father
who was a wealthy Cocoa Merchant that Export Cocoa to European Countries also
he was a Politician before he and my mother were killed by Militant.
I have the deposited Certificate of the money and Current account statement
with me for prove.
If you can help me to claim and transfer this money out of this country I will
be Happy and I shall compensate you with 30% of the money and 10% for every
Expense you made during the transfer and lastly we shall donated 10% to the
Orphans like me,
I pray that God will touch your heart to help me because i really need
your help to relocate out of this country as soon as possible for my
Safety because my uncle is maltreating me bad since my parents died.
I will give you more details as soon as I hear from you.
God bless you
Grace Konan.
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