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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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: paul compaore <paul_compaore3@sify.com>
Reply-To: paulcompaore@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 09:02:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL.
Dear
Friend,
I am
Mr. Paul Compaore, the director of accounts and audit department with the Bank
of Africa(BOA)in the republic
of Burkina Faso in west Africa.
I need
your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $12.5M(Twelve million five
hundred thousand united states dollars)into your existing or new bank account.
This
fund is payment for a government approved road contract to a foreign contractor
who died and left the fund without claim.
I want
you to apply to our bank as the beneficiary to this fund.
If you
are ready to do this business with me, i will send you full details on how the
business will be executed.
When
the money has been transferred into your account, we will share it equally.
I wait
for your urgent reply.
Best
Regards.
Mr.
Paul Compaore.
TEL:(00226)
75 45 46 06.
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Anti-fraud resources:
