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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:
- "million 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)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Bernard Jallow <md_amadas5@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: bd_jallow0@gmx.com
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:35:21 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Good day
Good day,
My name is Mr. Bernard Jallow (Bsc,Msc); the Auditor General of one of the Prime bank here in Senegal.
I am pleased to introduce a business opportunity to transfer to your overseas account the sum of " USD$ 18.7 million United States Dollars" from one of the Prime Banks here in Senegal.
I seek for your assistance to handle this important and confidential business believing that you will never let me down either now or in future. These however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honor against your will.
There were no beneficiaries stated concerning these funds which means that no one would ever come to claim it.
However, I do solicit for your co-operation and assistance in affecting this transaction.
I intend to give you 30% of the total funds
as compensation for your co-operation and assistance.
I will notify you on the full transaction on receipt of your response if interested,and shall send you the details and the necessary procedures with which to effect the transfer.
best regards.
Mr Bernard Jallow
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Anti-fraud resources:
