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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "LOVELIN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lovelin_vincent4@yahoo.com.ar>
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2011 00:33:29 -0000
Subject: DEAR BELOVED ONE
DEAR BELOVED ONE ,
I AM MISS LOVELIN VINCENT AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER SAMUEL VINCENT. WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF LATE CHIEF WILLIAM VINCENT,WE ARE FROM ACCRA GHANA IN WEST AFRICA.MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN.
THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS KILLED BY PRO LABEL FORCE OF THE NEW PRESIDENT OF OUR COUNTRY ALLASSANE DRAMANE OUATTARA IN OUR HOUSE BECAUSE OF MY LATE FATHER SUPPORT TO THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT OUR FORMER PRESIDENT LAURENT GBAGBO. THE DEATH OF OUR LATE FATHER HAPPENED BEFORE THE PRESENT EYES OF ME AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER. FOR WE WILL NOT FORGET THAT DAY IN OUR LIFE AS WHEN OUR FATHER WAS SHOOT BEFORE US.
BEFORE THEN OUR MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST OCTOBER 2008 AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL HERE IN OUR COUNTRY BUT OUR FATHER DID NOT REMARRY ANY OTHER WOMAN.
FATHER TOOK US SO SPECIAL BECAUSE WE ARE MOTHERLESS. BEFORE THE DEATH OF OUR FATHER ON 29TH 2002 IN MARCH 2011 IN OUR RESIDENCE HERE IN ABIDJAN. THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE DEATH OF OUR LATE FATHER HE CALLED ME ONE EVENING AND TOLD ME THAT I CASE ANY EVENTUALITY THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$5.5 MILLION (FIFTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN.
THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS FIRST DAUGHTER AND GROWN UP ONE FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE FUND. HE ALSO TOLD ME IN CASE OF ANYTHING THAT HAPPEN TO HIM THAT I AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGNER WHO WILL HELP US TO TRANSFER THE MONEY OUT FROM HERE AS THE PERSON WILL STAND AS FOREIGN PARTNER TO HIM SO THAT THE BANK CAN TRANSFER THE MONEY TO THE PERSON ACCOUNT SO THAT I AM MY YOUNGER BROTHER WILL JOIN THE PERSON TO HIS OR COUNTRY FOR THE INVESTMENT OF THE MONEY AND FOR THE BEST OF OUR FUTURE KNOWING HIS BROTHER DOES NOT LIKE HIM AND THEY AGAINST OUR FAMILY.
PLEASE WE SEEK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE SO THAT THE BANK CAN TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT WHILE WE WILL JOIN YOU IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR COUNTRY AS YOU WILL HELP US FOR THE INVESTMENT OF THE MONEY .
(SUCH AS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT).
DEAREST BELOVED, WE HONORABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS : TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO
TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM A GIRL OF 27 YEARS AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER IS 22 YEARS OLD.
TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR US TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY TO FURTHER OUR EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT IN YOUR COUNTRY.
MOREOVER, WE ARE WILLING TO OFFER YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.
FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING US AS WE BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (72HRS) YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST US.
WE WILL APPRECIATE YOU SEND US E-MAIL. ANTICIPATING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. IN GOD WE TRUST.
GOD BLESSED YOU AS YOU CARE US .
BEST REGARD.
LOVE/SAMUEL.
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