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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)
- "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 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.
- correction_un02@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Camara Aboubacar <dimplemshah@youtele.com>
Reply-To: correction_un02@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:30:28 +0530
Subject: Investment Fund???
Dear Friend,
I have interest of investing in your country as well as seek your
services in a
private and confidential matter. I am a senior Auditor heading computing
department here in our bank.It has been for some years now that most of the
greedy African Politicians used our bank to Launder money overseas through the
help of their Political advisers. Most of the funds which they transferred out
of the shores of Africa was gold and oil money that was supposed to have been
used to develop the continent.
I also cleaned some of their banking records from the Bank files and no one
cared to ask me because the money was too much for them to control. They
laundered over $200 Million Dollars during the process .As I am sending this
message to you, I was able to divert Nine Million Three Hundred
Thousand Dollars
($9.3m)to an escrow account belonging to no one in the bank. The bank
is anxious
now to know who is the beneficiary to the funds because they have made
a lot of
profits with the funds.
I write to seek your indulgence and assistance in transferring this
fund to your
country through legal means. I am proposing to make this transfer to a
designated bank account of your choice in your country for investment. At the
conclusion of this transaction, you will be given 45% of the total amount, 55%
will be for me and my group.
Do contact me through this E-mail address : correction_un02@yahoo.co.jp If you
are capable of receiving the funds, do let me know immediately to
enable me give you
details information on what to do.leave your name and your telephone
number and
your e-mail address.
Regards,
Mr.Camara Aboubacar
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
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