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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:
- "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)
- "million united states 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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Hayford Danso" <hayford_danso@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: hayford_danso@ymail.com
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:58:49 +0200
Subject: Confidential transaction
AUDITING /SENIOR ACCOUNT
MANAGER UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA(UBA)
ACCRA GHANA WEST AFRICA .
(confidential)
My dear I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.
PROPOSITION: I discovered an abundant sum of $15.M(fifteen Million United states Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir. I cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.
Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by me for the fund $15.M (fifteen Million United states Dollars) to be released in your favor as the beneficiary's next of kin. It may interest you to note that I have secured from the probate an order of madamus to locate any of the deceased
Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of my mutual business endeavor by furnishing me with the following:
1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.
3. A copy of your passport .
If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your urgent response.
Regards,
Yours faithfully
Mr.Hayford Danso.
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