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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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "hundred thousand us 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 orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Prince Roy Martins" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johneri@w.cn>
Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2010 10:08:12 -0700
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam
Dear Sir/Madam
I am Prince Roy Martins, the youngest surviving Son of Late King David Martins (II) of Republic Du Benin. I hereby solicit for your help over my inheritance and the sum of $9.7M ( Nine Million, Seven Hundred Thousand US Dollars) kept in a Financial Security Company.
After the death of my Father few months ago the entire Community want me to abandon my education and take the traditional Kingship of my Late Father and that has to do with so much evil (Idle). And l am only 23 years old and my education is very important to me for now. I sincerely apologize for breaking into your privacy, however I have decided to contact you through this medium due to the urgency to safe guard the money and my traditional valuables in question.Once again, forgive me and please come to my aid.
Our Pastor is fully in support of me to travel to your advance Country and invest my inheritance and also continue my Education in your developed Country under your supervision.To fully compensate you, we shall give you 15% of our total funds. Also we shall share at 25% for you and 70 % for us, and 5% for local and international expenses incidental to the transfer.
As a good and honest person that will build a good relationship with us. If accepted please get back to me via e-mail: (princemartins@w.cn). As soon as I hear from you with your information and on how to receive the money and my valuable consignment box then I will start to do the arrangement here.
Thank you once again as I wait to hear from you.
Prince Roy Martins
(princemartins@w.cn)
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Anti-fraud resources:
