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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:
- "million 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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Fani Arah <faniarah475@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Fani Arah <faniarah@hotmail.fr>
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2013 21:09:11 +0800 (CST)
Subject: I am Fani Arah
Hello Dear,
I am writing this mail to you with tears and sorrow from my heart with due respect trust and humanity I appeal to exercise a little patience and read my mail.
I am Fani Arah the only daughter of late Dr and Mrs. Robert Arah.
Please dearest let us reason together and have trust in God. I am seeking for your assistance to help me claim my inheritance fund ($9.1 Million Dollars)Nine Million One Hundred Thousand United State Dollars out from the security company where my late father deposited the inheritance fund as our family valuable on my behalf here in my country and transfer it to your country please it is more than urgent because of my life is in danger, my wicked uncle is threatened to kill me as they kill my father because of his wealth.
Dearest I am willing to compensate you for your effort and assistance after the successful transfer of my inheritance money into your account overseas and I will tell you more about myself if really you will help me.
Hoping to hearing from you soon. May God bless you as you extend your helping hand to the needy.
With love,
Miss Fani Arah.
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Anti-fraud resources:
