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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:
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Dembele Kafana <dembelkafana@one.co.il>
Reply-To: dembele_kafana@one.co.il
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2011 15:17:18 +0100 (BST)
Subject: I REQUSTED FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, PLEASE
Greetings To You,
I am the Director in charge of Auditing section Bank of Africa (B.O.A) Ouagadougou Burkina-Faso in West Africa. Forgive my indignation if this message comes to you as a surprise.
The said amount is U.S $8.5 million. FOR YOUR INFORMATION BEEN YOU NOT A German WILL NOT POSE ANY PROBLEM FOR THE SUCESSFUL TRANSFER ON THIS FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
All the whole arrangement to put claim over this fund as the Bonafide next of kin to the deceased has been put in place and directives will be relayed to you as soon as you indicate your interest and willingness to assist me in this great business opportunity.
The actual reason why i contacted you is because it required a second party or fellow who will forward claims as the next of kin to the Bank and also present a foreign account where he will need the money to be re-transferred into on his request.
The request of foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin. I dont want this money to go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed Bill.
Be assured this transaction is 100% risk free.
On conclusion of this Transaction, you will be entitled to 40% of the total sum as gratification,while 60% will be for me.Please you have been adviced to keep top secret" as I am still in service and intend to retire from service after I conclude this deal with you. Please keep this proposal secret, even if you dont want to assist
Please treat this business with utmost confidentiality and send me the Following information;
(1) Full names:
(2) Private phone number:
(3) Current residential address:
(4) Occupation:
(5) Age and Sex:
Thanks for your co-operations.
MR. Dembele Kafana
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