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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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: maryhelen hosler <mnhosler@att.net>
Reply-To: lovelin_samuel1@yahoo.com.ar
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:44:14 -0700 (PDT)
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 GHANAIAN IN
WEST AFRICA. OUR 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 THE COUNTRY MR ALLASSANE DRAMANE OUATTARA
IN OUR HOUSE BECAUSE OF OUR LATE FATHER SUPPORT TO THE INCUMBENT
PRESIDENT THE FORMER PRESIDENT TO COTE D' IVOIRE MR LAURENT GBAGBO. THE
DEATH OF OUR LATE FATHER HAPPENED BEFORE THE PRESENT EYES OF ME AND MY
YOUNGER BROTHER. FOR WE WHERE WITNESS TO THE DEATH OF OUR FATHER WHICH
WE WILL NOT FORGET THAT HORRIBLE DAY OUR FATHER WAS SHOOT TO DEATH.
BEFORE THEN OUR MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST OCTOBER 2008 AFTER A BRIEF
ILLNESS AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL HERE IN COTE D' IVOIRE BUT OUR FATHER
DID NOT REMARRY ANY OTHER WOMAN.
FATHER TOOK US SO SPECIAL BECAUSE WE ARE MOTHERLESS AND OUR FATHER DID
NOT REMARRY. THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE DEATH OF OUR LATE FATHER HE CALLED
ME ONE EVENING AND TOLD ME THAT IN CASE ANY EVENTUALITY THAT HE HAS A
SUM OF US$5.5 MILLION (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS) DEPOSITED WITH A BANK HERE IN IVORY COAST FOR INVESTMENT
ABROAD.
THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS FIRST CHILD AS THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSITING
OF THE MONEY WITH A BANK. HE ALSO TOLD ME SEEING THE POLITICAL CRISES
IN THE COUNTRY IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HIM THAT I AND MY YOUNGER
BROTHER SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGNER ABROAD WHO WILL HELP US TO TRANSFER
THE MONEY OUT FROM HERE FOR INVESTMENT PROPOSE, MEANWHILE THE PERSON
SHOULD STAND AS FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTNER TO HIM SO THAT THE BANK CAN
TRANSFER THE MONEY TO THE PERSON ACCOUNT AS I AM MY YOUNGER BROTHER
SHOULD JOIN THE PERSON TO HIS OR HER COUNTRY FOR THE INVESTMENT OF THE
MONEY AND FOR THE BEST OF OUR FUTURE LIFE SINCE HIS BROTHERS DOES NOT
LIKE HIM AND THEY AGAINST OUR FAMILY.
PLEASE WE SEEK FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE SO THAT THE BANK CAN TRANSFER
OUR MONEY INTO 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).
MOREOVER, WE ARE WILLING TO OFFER YOU 10% FROM THE TOTAL SUM AS
COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF OUR
MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
ANTICIPATING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. IN GOD WE TRUST.
GOD BLESSED YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS YOU CARE US .
BEST REGARD.
LOVELIN AND SAMUEL VINCENT.
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