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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From:
Date:
Subject: Please reply me very urgently.
Dear Sir,
I am Mrs. Deborah Johnson from Ivory Coast.I was married to Late Chief Johnson Yaley who was a contractor with the Government of Cote D'Ivoire.
Before my husband died after few days in the hospital,he told me that he deposited the sum of ($4.500USD) Four Million five hundred thousand Dollars only in a trunk box with a self firm security Company here in Abidjan and stated the content of the trunk box as family Valuables which belongs to his foreign Contractor partner Abroad for the safety keeping of the trunk box.So he did not allow them to know that the trunk box content the money inside of it for the security of the money.Presently this money in the trunk box is still in the custody of the self firm security company here in Cote DIvoire.
Now i need your help/assistance to help me receive this trunk box of the money, so that you can have access over the money for my for a joint business investment with you in your Country.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall introduce you the Security Company and instruct them to send the trunk box of the money to you.
Information Required from you are as follows:
Your Full Name(........................... )Your Direct Tel & Fax Numbers:(......................., )Your Home & Office addresses with the telephon number(..............................) With these above listed information, I will be forwarding them to the Security Company and instructs them for the immediate delivering of the trunk box of the money to your Position.
Please reply me very urgently.
Thanks with best regards,
Mrs.Deborah Johnson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
