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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 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 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 humble assistance" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- 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.
- adams_kembe@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- 3aadams_kembe@yahoo.co.uk
Fraud email example:
From: Adams Kembe <adamskembe9@gmail.com>
Reply-To: adams_kembe@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:32:33 +0200
Subject: FROM: ADAMS KEMBE
FROM: ADAMS KEMBE
# 40 REVONIA ROAD
SANDTON CITY, JHB.
SOUTH AFRICA.
SOLICITING FOR YOUR HUMBLE ASSISTANCE
ATTENTION,
You may be surprised to receive this letter from me, since you don't know me
personally. I am MR.ADAMS KEMBE, son of DR.ANDREW NKONNOH KEMBE who was
recently murdered in the land dispute crisis in Zimbabwe. My father use to
live in a town called Chinhoyi located in the heart of Murambind about 120
km from Harare. The capital city of my country Zimbabwe.Chinhoyi was largely
a peaceful farming area where one can own land and cultivate it if one
worked hard enough. Before his death, my father on one of his many trips
abroad took me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of US$25 Million (Twenty
Five Million United States Dollars) with the Security and Finance Company as
if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe.
CHECK ATTACHMENT FOR MORE DETAILS
I promise you that you will be rewarded handsomely (Kindly get back to me
Email:adams_kembe@yahoo.co.uk <Email%3Aadams_kembe@yahoo.co.uk>)
Best regards,
Adams Kembe.
(For The Family)
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Anti-fraud resources:
