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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)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "waiting for your urgent response" (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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Francis <franciskabore18@gmail.com>
Reply-To: franciskabore.10@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 22:21:44 +0530 (IST)
Subject: TRUSTING YOU?
Dear Friend,
I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise.
I am auditor director in Bank Burkina Faso (Bank).I Hoped that you will not expose or Betray this trust and confident that i am about to repose on you for the Mutual benefit of our both families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring sum of ($10.5Million united state dollars) Immediately to your account. The money has been dormant for years in our Bank Here with out any body coming for it.
I want to release the money to you as the nearest person to our deceased Customer (the owner of the account) died on the July 2003 in a plane crash with his wife and only child without any registered next of kin.
I don't want the money to go into our Bank treasury as an abandoned fund.So This is the reason why i contacted you,so that we can release the money To you as the nearest person to the deceased cutomer.
Please we would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete if You are not interested.
Upon receipt of your reply, i will send you full details on how the business Will be executed and also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned Sum if you agree to transact the business with us.
I need this informations from you as follows:
Your Full Name.......................
Your House Address...................
Your Mobile Phone Number................
Your Age...............................
Your Occupation.........................
Marital Status..........................
Your Country............................
Waiting for your urgent response so that we will start immediately.
Best Regards,
Mr Francis Kabore.
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