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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Shemmari Samah <rimm_mma@att.net>
Reply-To: mrsamah.shemari@o2.pl
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 06:52:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Greetings to you
>From The Desk of Mr.Samah Shemmari
Manager National Bank of Abu Dhabi Dubai Mina Road Building of Inheritor of Rashed Bin Mohammed Al Nueimi United Arab Emirate (U.A.E.)
Please reply only through this Email:mrsamah.shemmari@live.com
Greetings to you
I am Mr.Samah Shemmari, Branch Manager National Bank of Dubai Abu Dhabi branch, I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you an America Iraqi Foreign Oil Consultant /Contractor with the Chevron Petroleum Corporation Company Late Mr.Edmond Greish Magdy Made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months
Mr.Edmond Greish Magdy Died in a plane crash in Egypt Air Flight 990, 1999 air crash for more information about this crash and person you can contact this website:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/11/01/iran/main49778.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm
The circumstances surrounding the death of the depositor with no known nominated successor has made it difficult to locate anyone who is directly related to the deceased. The strategy is to use my position as the Manager of the bank to present you as a next of Kin and beneficiary of the time deposit for capitalization to your account and sharing amongst us.
I expect your response and shall provide further details.
Regards
Mr.Samah Shemmari
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Anti-fraud resources:
