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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:
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "ibrahimyassa@atlantisgoose.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Ibrahim Yassa" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ibrahimyassa@atlantisgoose.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 10:12:39 -0700
Subject: Re: Greetings!
Re: Greetings!
I am Dr.Ibrahim Yassa, Director Contract Administrator working with the Ministry of Works & Housing (FMWH), here to solicit your urgent assistance to claim the sum of US$22.4M (Twenty Two Million Four Hundred Thousand United Stated Dollars). The money was deposited in the affiliated reservoir Bank via Europe as unclaimed Fund belonging to Mrs.Janet Leech a Foreign Contractor who died with her entire Family on the Air crash (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/851577.stm).
This is a risk free deal and If you are willing, furnish your private telephone and fax numbers,home/office address together with scan copy of your international passport or identity card for the transfer to commence immediately.
The 40% of this US$22.4Million will be for you while i take 60% .
Contact me via my personal Email : ibrahimyassa@atlantisgoose.com
Regards,
Dr. Ibrahim Yassa.
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Anti-fraud resources:
