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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 beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "MRS.SARAH DUAH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hsbankghana@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 10:11:55 -0700
Subject: DEAR BELOVED.
Dear Beloved,
However strange or surprising this contact might seem, I humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance and immense benefit.
First and foremost I wish to introduce my self to you.My name is Mrs.Sara Duah I am 50years old with two kids.I work with a security company here in Ghana and it happened that one of our depositors deposited one trunk Box more than 5 years ago as family valuables and treasure .
I am priviledged to know that the content of the one box is Cash because I received the Trunk Box from the depositor and issued him his certificate of deposit .
Beloved, the company has tried everything possible to locate Him or any of his relation or next of kin without any success and that is why I had to write you this mail because if you agree to act as his next of kin and beneficiary of his deposit with our company you can have theTrunk box collecteted as i have discovered that the Box contains 35M.U.S Dollars Cash .
Because if you don’t assist me now,it will be decleared as an abandoned deposit.i want to assure you that this will be done legally and risk free because I will swear an Affidavit Of Fact From the High Court here in Ghana and an Affidavit of Claims from the Ministry of Justice and with these two documents the security company will have no choice to release the Box to you as the next of kin and beneficiary of the deposit.
The reason why I contacted you is divine in the sense that when I decided to look for a foreigner that will be my partner I got your name with other Americans and I gave them to my spiritual pastor whom after seven days of fasting and prayer told me you are the one that was revealed to him that I should contact that you are matured and very Honest Trustworthy person that you will never cheat me or run away with the fund.Beloved,If you agree our sharing formula will be 40/50 I am a very straightforward person.
10% will be mapped out for both Local and international expenses that might be incured during this transaction.
I wait for your response.
Best regards.
Mrs.Sara Duah
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