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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:
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Amina Bello <a.bello25@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: iumar@atlas.cz
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 19:52:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Best Regards.
Dear,
How are you today? hope fine. By way of introduction i am senator A.Idris Umar the Campaign Coordinator to Late President Musa Yar'Adua of Nigeria who died on the 5Th may 2010 as a result of a protracted Acute pericarditis which cardiothoracic surgeons calls "An Auto Immune Disease".
I am in my possession of fund which was earlier mapped out before his demise for his Campaign to return for Second term in office, since his is no more i decided to have this funds which is still in my custody for personal investment purposes.
For your perusal the said fund was deposited in a bank in Europe so i am soliciting for your assistance for the fund to be in your possession since i cannot abandon my duty for now as a senator still serving.
If you are willing to partner with me, then you have to immediately arrange for a trip to meet with my consultant who shall accompany you to the said bank name withheld for security reasons to enable you see things by your self. I can be reach on this my direct telephone number:234 - 70 -86244526.
Do quickly get back to me for more details.
Best Regards.
Senator A.Idris Umar.
(Gombe Central Constituency,(PDP) Party).
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Anti-fraud resources:
