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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- lookman1960@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "African Development Bank Group" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lookman1960@sify.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:01:55 -0000
Subject: I need your help please
Good day,
I am Mr Abufas Lookman a chartered accountant here at AFRICAN DEVELOPEMENT BANK Burkina faso.
Late Muammar Gaddafi has a fixed deposit of Three Million United State of America Dollars (US$3.000,000.00) Only. in our banking record to this deposit, there was no NEXT OF KIN specify for inheriting the amount and i want to transfer this fund out of my country and close the account before the end of this year record keeping.
Confirmation of his death at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15396758
Note: I have all the legal proof/documents to backup for the claim and success of transferring the fund to your bank account.
Am hereby seeking your help to provide me with your full contact informations for transfer this fund to your account. I intend to give you 50% of the total amount as soon as the fund is transfered to your bank account.
Please E-mail me here private lookman1960@gmail.com and for any clarification call me: +22675081858
Thanks and God bless you.
Regards
Abufas Lookman
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Anti-fraud resources:
