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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Rufus Appiah <rufusappiah1@globomail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2011 10:28:08 +0000
Subject: FROM MR RUFUS APPIAH
It took me a great courage to write this mail to you because I do not know
you in person and such I wondered how you would react to this letter.
I am MR. RUFUS APPIAH, a database administrator with (IT) department of
International Commercial Bank Ltd Accra Ghana. I manage the database of the
international Commercial Bank Ltd where the beneficiaries of a confiscated
consignments in Ghana that the owner could not claim and other impending
transfers waiting to be sent to government account as abandoned fund. Some
of the consignments were monies and gold which was all kept in one account
with the transfer of big funds that could not go through from Ghana.
I setup an account where I lodged some part of the money confiscated by the
government as an approved list of funds belonging to NGOS (NON GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS) waiting to be transferred to the designated beneficiaries.
Not only did I compute it in the list of the approved transfers, It is on
the list of other Non Governmental organizations waiting to transfer there
funds for charity purposes.
As the only person that is in charge of the database and data management in
my bank, i have positioned that money the way you would not be compelled to
pay heavy taxes to government because of the category of transfer it is
classified .Non governmental organizations don't pay heavy taxes like other
business organizations over here.
What I need is just your full information which I will use to feed into the
account i setup and lodged in some money. After inserting your name and
information as the owner and beneficiary of the money in the account, i
will print out the deposit slip which will be in your name.
We can approve the payment to be made through wire transfer or certified
bank draft accompanied with draft certification to your bank to enable your
bank honor the draft for payment. I intend giving you more resourceful
information on what to do and how to go about it only when you indicate
your interest to work with me.
I wait for you response, we will then go into business.
MR.RUFUS APPIAH
Database administrator.
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Anti-fraud resources:
