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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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: tipph naddd <tipphnadd@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <fridaeric@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:12:52 +0000
Subject: Enquiry about investor/business associate
Hello,Permit me to introduce to you a business opportunity of a mutual benefit. I am 19 years old and a novice concerning ivestment. The cold hand of death took all my family members during the crisis in Libya.I am the only survival daughter of the family. My late father was a personal adviser to late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi before the rebel took over and killed him and other advisers around him. During the crisis my father confided in me that he has a depsoit of 19.000.000. Euros in Abidjan. He ordered me to leave immediately.
When i arrived in Abidjan i was told by my late father lawyer that because of political instability in Africa that the fund has been moved to NEPAL RESTRA BANK . He made me to understand that I need a foreigner to apply for the transfer of the 19.000.000.00 Euros into his account. If you can provide an account to receive this fund for me abroad i will reward you with %20 of the total amount as soon as the transfer is completed. I will also like you to help me invest the fund in a lucrative business we can be partners if you so wish. Your urgent reply will be appreciated.
Yours Sincerely
Mile Frida Erik
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Anti-fraud resources:
