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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "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)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- tjones77721@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Jones and Tina" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tjones77721@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 11:07:22 -0000
Subject: THIS IS TO YOU FROM IVORY COAST
Dearest,
How are you today and your family? I do believe that God is really in control for me to reach you. I am Jones Ouattara from Ivory Coast, the son of Morgan Ouattara, A Gold businessman and a politician who died during the on going political crisis going on now in ivory coast.
Our parents were killed in the ivory coast political crisis two months ago,and before my father's death he deposited 1trunk box containing 26.2 Million U.S Dollars with Trust Security and Finance Company in Ghana for safe keeping.
I am presently seeking your assistance as a foreigner to retrieve this trunk box from the Security company to enable me and my sister invest and further our education as my father's family members are after me because without me nobody can get the box.
I and my kid sister are now living in a refugee camp hear in Ghana and we need your urgent assistant before our family members locate us here in Ghana, I and my sister have agreed to give you 30% of the total sum.
We have all the vital documents covering the deposited fund.
Thank you very much for the anticipated acceptance while I expect your prompt response so I can give you details.
please contact me on my direct email (tjones77721@gmail.com)
Best regards,
Jones and Tina Ouattara.
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Anti-fraud resources:
