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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "transfer into your account" (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)
- "million us 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Mei Zhen <meizhen100@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 10:36:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Greeting From Mrs Mei Zhen
Greeting From Mrs Mei Zhen
Mrs Mei Zhen.
I have been surffering from ovarian cancer disease and the doctor says
that i have just few days to leave.I am from (Lhasa) China but based in
Africa Burkina Faso since eight years ago as a business woman dealing
with gold exportation,now that i am about to end the race like
this,without any family members and no child.I have $3 Million US
DOLLARS in Africa Development Bank(ADB)Burkina Faso which i instructed
the bank to give St Andrews Missionary Home in Burkina Faso.But my mind
is not at rest because i am writting this letter now through the help of
my computer beside my sick bed.
I also have $4.5 Million US Dollars at Ecobank here in Burkina Faso and i
instructed the bank to transfer the money to the foreigner that will
apply to the bank after i have gone that they should release the fund to
him/her,but you will assure me that you will take 50% of the money and
give 50% to the orphanages home in your country for my heart to rest.
Upon the receipt of your email with your account information, i will be
intructing bank to make the immedate transfer into your account.
Yours fairly friend,
Mrs Mei Zhen.
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Anti-fraud resources:
