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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:
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: HUSSO ALI <hussoal@blumail.org>
Reply-To: hussoalqaida@live.com
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:31:57 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Mr. Husso Ali Assalamu Alaikum
Mr. Husso Ali Assalamu Alaikum
My Dear Good Friend.
How are you and your family? Hope All is well. I am Mr. Husso Ali, the
Regional Branch Manager with Islamic Development Bank Burkina (ISDB-BF)
Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. I got your contact from the Burkina Faso chambers of
commerce have some fund to claim in my bank Which will be of benefit to both of
us.
I want you to be an inheritor of this fund, the said fund is in a Doormat
account and with your bank information and my Documentation certifies you as
the inheritor/beneficiary Since I am an insider and working in the same bank,
the Transfer will be processed legally and successfully and I will Be coming
down to your country for disbursement.
The amount of money involved is ($4.5m) which I want you to Claim for
further transfer out of the Country to your bank Account, all to our financial
benefit. This is very great opportunity as it will take a maximum of 14 banking
Working days to be concluded. I as an insider will do my duties perfectly well
concerning this transaction for security reasons.
This is confidential for successful conclusion and hitch-free transaction.
Contact me immediately for further details and mutual Relationship and we will
decide together on how to disburse the funds Yours truly.
Mr. Husso Ali
Regional Branch Manager
Islamic Development Bank (ISDB)
Burkina Faso
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Anti-fraud resources:
