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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Paul Freeman" <paulfreeman775@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2013 23:14:30 +0800
Subject: Re: Confidential and Urgent
From: Paul Freeman
South Africa Reserve Bank
Pretoria-South Africa
Re: Confidential and Urgent
This message is coming to you directly after a diligent search for a foreign
silent partner who is capable of assisting us in this regard.
I want to ask for your assistance to help us in moving some contract sums of
money abroad. I work in the bank as the personal assistant to the governor of
South Africa Reserve Bank. I have her mandate to do this because she cannot do
it directly in her capacity as the governor of the reserve bank. (ALL DETAILS
INCLUDING DOCUMENTATIONS ARE AVAILABLE)
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds (US$26.5million)
abandoned/discovered by my boss shortly after she assumed office late last year.
I got your information through the help of an attache with your embassy
commercial section but is totally ignorant of the real transaction which I
want to do with you.
Hence, I am inviting you for a business deal where you can act as our silent
partner in order to transfer the said amount to your nominated bank account
any where in the world except in South Africa.
If you agree to my business proposal, further details of the transfer
including ALL the documents will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your
return mail.
Step-by-step account of how to start and finish the deal will also be sent to
you for your consideration and impute. I want to add that this is 100%risk
free and is not connected with money laundering and terrorism acts.
Regards and God bless you,
Mr. Paul Freeman
Personal Assistant to the Governor
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