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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)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin 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.
- christophermarfo1@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.christopher marfo" <info@admin.org>
Reply-To: christophermarfo1@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2011 21:18:12 +1200 (PETST)
Subject: Please reply immediately!
Good Day.
Please reply immediately.
My name is Mr.Christopher Marfo, I am the credit officer
in one of the prime bank here in ghana. I have a business
proposal in the tune of $30.5m to be transferred
to an offshore account with your assistance.I am writing
following an opportunity in my office that will be of an
immense benefit to both of us. In my department i discovered
an abandoned sum of $30.5m in an account that belongs to one
of our foreign customers late Mrs.Margaret Baker.
After the successful transfer, we shall share in
ratio of 40% for you and 60% for me. Should you be
interested, please respond to my letter immediately,
so we can commence all arrangements and I will give
you more information on the project and how we would
handle it. Please treat this business with utmost
confidentiality.
You can contact me on my private email:(christophermarfo1@hotmail.com) and
send me the
following information for documentation purpose:
(1)Full names:
(2)private phone number:
(3)current residential address:
(4)Occupation:
(5)Age and Sex:
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Mr.Christopher Marfo.
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Anti-fraud resources:
