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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Nina Dasilver" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ninadasilver01@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:38:41 +0100
Subject: 1 New Message
Dear Sir/Madam
Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I am quite aware that my message will come to you as a surprise because it is indeed very strange for someone you have not met before to contact you in this regard.
I am Nina Dasilver 16years old. My father was a very wealthy oil merchant merchant in Delta,MY father was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outings on a business trip to London Uk. I was in school when this ugly incident happened.
My mother died when i was 6years so i really missed motherly care.
Before the death of my father on March 2009 in a private hospital here in Delta state Nigeria, he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum of (Eight million,five hundred thousand United State Dollars).USD($8.500,000,00) left in fixed / suspense account in one of the banks here in Nigeria,that he used my name as the next of Kin in depositing of the fund.
He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates.That I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it or investment purpose such as real estate or hotel management.
Thanks and God bless.
Nina Dasilver
Private Email: ninadasilver01@msn.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
