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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:
- "trunk box" (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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Manu Ousman Mahmoud" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ousmanmahmoud101@postafiok.hu>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:25:04 +0100
Subject: I seek your help to save my family
Good Day My Dear,
How are you today?
I’m very sorry to disturb you with this email because you don't know me before.
My name is Manu Ousman Mahmoud and I’m the Mineral Resources Control officer with late President Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi of Libya, I ran into this place with my family for safety during the heat of the crises and consequent take over of govt by Rebel Forces. I want to indulge in you to help me please receive my family over to your country because we are on the list of those officers being searched for by the present govt.
I managed to ran into this place with my family and a trunk box containing the bulk sum of $41.8 million U.S Dollars which I have deposited with one of the security company here in Benin Rep. I seek for your assistance to help me receive my family over to your country and settle them down there and also to help me receive the above sum into your account so that you can use it to look after my family and invest on something for their future.
Please kindly be known that I will in no way expose myself now because i may be trapped down to the enemies, I will be in hiding for some time until the govt of Libya settle down everything. I can send you immediately the photograph of my family and the documents which I used in depositing the money to the security company so that I can instruct them to release the box to your destination.
Please tell me if you accept my proposal so that I will give you further details and all information you need to know about the deposit.
I wait for your kind consideration and please keep this very confidential. For security seasons do reply me with this email address(ousmanmahmoud101@postafiok.hu)
GOD BLESS YOU.
Mahmoud Ousman
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