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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:
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Hussien Ahmed" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hussienahmed11@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 08:14:38 -0700
Subject: Deal.
Good Sir/Madam
I do not know how you are going to see this mail.But what ever be the case.Please treat it very confidential and accept my sincere apologies.My name is Mr.Hussien Ahmed.I am An Attorney in Malaysia.I am contacting you to ask for your urgent and confidential help to stand and claim.Making very possible to any one to stand and claim from the bank the money he left behind with them.His supposed known next of kin died in a natural disaster which lead to his heart related disease that took his life five years ago.
I give you a 100% guarantee and assurance there will never be any problem for you in this business transaction hence every thing we are going to do will be legally arranged and executed within ambit of the law to protect you from every breach of the law both now and when the transfer must have been made.All this transaction requires is your maximum co-operation,trust and humility to follow all my legal instructions.
Thanks as I await and anticipate your urgent and positive response.
Regards,
Mr.Hussien Ahmed.
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Anti-fraud resources:
