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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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: washidi allamu <washidiallamu@gmail.com>
Reply-To: washidiallamu@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:36:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Mr Washidi ALLAMU
From Mr Washidi ALLAMU
DearSir/Madam.
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My name is Mr Washidi ALLAMU the manager of Auditing and Account in Departmentin (B.O.A) Bank of Africa Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. I Hope That you will notexpose or betray this trust and confident that I am About to repose on you forthe mutual benefit of our both families.
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I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of ($25.5) million toyour account within 11 or 15 banking days. This Money has been dormant foryears in our Bank without claim. I want the Bank to release the money to you asthe nearest person to our deceased
Customer (the owner of the account) died along with his supposed next Of kin in an air crash .
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I don’t want the money to go into our Bank treasurer as an abandoned Fund. Sothis is the reason why I contacted you so that the bank can Release the moneyto you as the next of kin to the deceased customer.( MR. PAUL LOUIS HALLEY) Please I would like you to keepThis proposal as a top secret and delete it if you are not interested.
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Here is the sharing ratio; you will get 50% as your share, while I get 50% forme. If you can help me, please contact me immediately with the requiredInformation listed below:
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1. Your full name:
2. Your contact cell phone number:
3. Your age:
4. Your sex:
5. Your occupations:
6. Your country and city:
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Yours Faithfully,
Mr Washidi ALLAM
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Anti-fraud resources:
