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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- kamara_jerry@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Greek / British Lottery <online1220924@telkomsa.net>
Reply-To: "claims.event@yahoo.gr" <claims.event@yahoo.gr>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 05:59:24 +0200 (SAST)
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL BE MY FOREIGN INVESTOR
Hello Sir / Madam,
May I have your kind and humble attention I am Jerry Kamara by name am 23 years old from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa but I am presently in the Bujumbura refugee camp in Accra Ghana West Africa to claim my late father funds of $5.3 million usd in a metallic box which he kept in a safe security company here in Accra Ghana when he was functioning as the manager of a Gold mines company in South Africa for security reasons.
Please I am contacting you in admiration of the metallic box that contain that funds because my late father said without a foreign financier the said items should not be released to me except I have good foreign financier that can invest the fund in a nice and good highly regarded business firm and also buy a house for the benefit of my life so I can further my education and lived a good quality and comfortable life with my foreign financier that assisted me.
So if you accept my proposal and you are enthusiastic to situate as my foreign investor I will be of a great deal to read from you so that I can furnish you with the details to proceed and also give you my late father barrister contact details that will assist us with the necessary documents and please if you are not interested do not inconvenience your good self to write neither will I contact or inconvenience your good self again thanks in God we trust.
Regards,
Jerry Kamara
Email: kamara_jerry@yahoo.com
+233241797173
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Anti-fraud resources:
