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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mussa Ali <mussaali001@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:28:34 +0000
Subject: Hello!!!!!
Dear Friend,
I am (Mussa Ali) the bill and exchange manager at the foreign
remittance department of BANK OF AFRICA. Ouagadougou Burkina Faso West
Africa with due respects and regard. I have decided to contact you on
a business transaction that will be very beneficial to both of us at
the end of the transaction.
During our investigation and auditing in this bank, my department came
across a very huge sum of money belonging to a person who died on in a
plane crash and the fund has been dormant in his account with this
Bank with out any claim of the fund in our custody either from his
family or relation before our discovery to this development.
The said amount was TWENTY TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDERD THOUSAND united
states dollars. ($22.5000.000) Meanwhile all the whole arrangement to
put the claim over this fund as the beneficiary next of kin to the
deceased; get the
Required approval and transfer this money to a foreign account has
been put in place and directives and needed information will be
relayed to you as soon as you indicate your interest and willingness
to assist us and also benefit your self to this great business
opportunity.
Infact I could have done this deal alone but because of my position in
this country as a civil assist (A Banker), we are not allowed to
operate a foreign account and would eventually raise an eye brow on my
side during the time of transfer because i work it may be after due
verification and assist by the correspondent branch of the bank where
the money will be remitted from to your own designation bank account.
I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free.
On smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to
40%of the total sum as gratification, while 60% will be for me.
Please; you have been advised to keep top secret as i am still in
service and intend to retire from service after we conclude this deal
with you.
I will be monitoring the whole situation here in this bank until you
confirm the money in your account and ask me to come down to your
country for subsequent sharing of the fund according to percentages
previously indicated and further investment, either in your country or
any country you advice us to invest.
Please kindly response back with this information:
NAME...........................................
AGE........................................................
SEX......................................................
COUNTRY.............................................
OCCUPATION..........................................
PHONE NUMBER........................................
All other necessary vital information will be sent to you when i
hear from you.
Yours faithfully
Mussa Ali
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