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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: WUSSEL DOE <willw1@cchmc.org>
Reply-To: w71doe@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:19:20 +0000
Subject: HelloThere..
DEAR SIR,
PEACE BE UNTO YOUR FAMILY. MY NAME IS WUSSEL DOE I AM WRITING YOU CONCERNING MY FAMILY THAT EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS WAR IN MY COUNTRY REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA.
MY FATHER HAPPENED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF MY COUNTRY UNTIL HIS DEATH AND HE WAS SO INFLUENTIAL IN THE AFFAIRS OF MY COUNTRY.
HE GOT ASSASSINATED BY REBELS LOYAL TO CHARLES TAYLOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT,HE WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED AND MY FAMILY HOUSE BURNT TO THE GROUND, MY TWO ELDER SISTERS WERE RAPED AND MURDERED ALONG WITH MY FATHER.
PRESENTLY I MY MOTHER AND YOUNGER SISTER ARE PRESENTLY AT THE UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE CAMP IN REPUBLIC OF GHANA DUE TO FEAR FOR OUR PERSONAL LIVES. BEFORE THE DEMISE OF MY GREAT FATHER HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF $18M USD WITH A REPUTABLE SECURITY AND FINANCE COMPANY IN LONDON,
PLEASE ALL MY FAMILY NEED IS FOR YOU TO HELP US RETRIEVE THE CONSIGNMENT FROM THE SECURITY AND FINANCE COMPANY FOR DELIVERY TO YOUR COUNTRY OR POSSIBLE TRANSFER TO YOU THROUGH BANK TO YOUR COUNTRY AS A BENEFICIARY TO MY FAMILY THAT CAN RECEIVE THE MONEY ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY PENDING WHEN YOU SEND US INVITATION SO THAT WE CAN COME TO YOUR COUNTRY TO INVEST IN A SMALL SCALE VENTURE AND START A NEW LIFE.
MY FAMILY ALSO WANT YOU TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE FOR US TO SETTLE IN YOUR COUNTRY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT MY FAMILY IS WILLING TO GIVE YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS THE BENEFICIARY THAT WILL INVEST THE MONEY FOR US,
AS SOON AS I GET YOUR REPLY I WILL LOOK FOR A LAWYER THAT IS VERY GOOD IN INTERNATIONAL LAW THAT CAN MAKE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND MY FAMILY.
I HAVE FORWARD TO YOU MY FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH WITH THE BOXES THAT MY LATE FATHER TOOK US INCLUDING MY REFUGEE IDENTITY CARD FOR YOU TO SEE,I WILL ALSO GIVE YOU THE DETAILS OF THE SECURITY COMPANY IN LONDON AS SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU.
MY REGARDS TO YOUR FAMILY.
WUSSEL DOE
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