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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "transferred into your 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)
- "million 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348057474364 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Ibrahim Abubakar" <offic7@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: ibrahi@sify.com
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:33:07 +0300 (EEST)
Subject: HELLO FRIEND !!!!
Dear Friend
Please don't be surprise to receiving this mail, I was appointed to pay
all the foreign contractors that executed contract here in River
State,after paying all the contractors, this amount of money was remaining
in our custody, I decided to contact and present you as one of the
contract beneficiaries so that I can transfer some part of the contract
entitlement fund into your bank account What I require is utmost
co-operation as this transaction involves a very large sum of money.
The money is 12 million dollars but I want to transfer 6 million dollars
into a foreign account and return the remaining to Federal Government this
is why I have decided to contact you to see if you will assist in the
transaction as I have a very short period left to conclude with this
contract payment proceedings.In conclusion friend we are going to share
the money after it transferred into your bank account in your country.
Regard and thanks
Mr.Ibrahim Abubakar
Tel:234-805-747-4364
Special Adviser on Contract and
Fund Entitlement Matters
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Anti-fraud resources:
