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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "account in your country or any safer place" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million dollars" (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)
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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 dollar" (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.
- shakeebaljabril94@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Shakeeb Al-Jabril " <consejodelamujer@corrientes.gov.ar>
Reply-To: "Shakeeb Al-Jabril " <shakeebaljabril94@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:18:11 -0300 (ART)
Subject: IMPORTANT
LETTER OF ASSISTANCE
Dearest One,
I am Shakeeb Al-Jabril I am presently in Damascus Syria. I actually saw your profile and was impressed. I would like to establish some sort of business relationship which is definitely going to be of mutual benefit to both of us. Here in Damascus, I have worked very hard all my life until last month when I lost two of my Multi Million Dollars Companies in a bomb blast here in Damascus. Before these Crises I have been able to send some funds out of these country because I know where we are going in these country is far beyond what I imagine. So far the sum of (USD$17.9M Seventeen Million, Nine Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is deposited in a private Security bank outside my country Syria.
I want you to do me a favour to receive these funds to a safe account in your country or any safer place as the beneficiary. I want to come over to your country for the safety of my life from the hands of this wicked assassins’ I have plans to do investment in your country, like real estate and industrial production.
This is my reason for writing to you. Please if you are willing to assist me, reply me with your full details and phone number in other for us to proceed.
Sincerely Yours,
Â
Shakeeb Al-Jabril
shakeebaljabril94@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
