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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:
- "janeatta@foxmail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss. Jane Atta" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <janeatta@qq.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:36:45 -0700
Subject: Dearest.
Dearest.
Please, I am very sorry to bother you with my problem. Please know that it's not by mistake that I am contacting you but by the special grace of God and for your kind assistance. My name is Miss. Jane Atta. I am 18 years old and the only child of my late parents. My mother died when I was a baby while my father raised me. He died shortly of poison which I am yet to find out because he is having a problem with his family member over his cocoa business and his death has now made me orphan and exposed to danger.
Before the unfortunate death, he reveal to me about some funds 9.5 million pound which he deposited with a Finance Vault as a family treasure in case if anything happen to him. Since his death, my uncles sent me out of our house. They have taking all my late father's landed property and not to help or take me as one of them due to some African Culture which they say that a woman has nothing to benefit from the family because she will leave some day to another destination or family.
I am presently living with a certain pastor and his family because my life and what I have with me is more important because my father used my name as his next of kin in the deposit and in case he fails to make it that I should take care of myself and get someone to help invest the money for me.Please I want you to take me as your daughter and stand for me as my guardian in the claims. I will love it most if you will come down here so that after the claim I will go back with you to your country for a better future.
I have some of the deposit paper with me and presently I contacted the Finance Vault about it but they told me that my father made an agreement with the company management that they should not release the deposit to me until I am 30 years or through proxy. This is why I am seeking for your assistance to help me stand before the Finance Vault as my beneficiary or guardian to receive the deposit in your country.
I am willing to offer to you any thing from the total sum as a compensation for your help and you are still going to be the one to invest this money since I do not have any idea besides I need to continue my education. Expecting your soonest respond at janeatta@foxmail.com .
Thank you and God bless you.
Truly,
Miss. Jane Atta.
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