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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Nada Hashim"<nadahashim01010@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: nadahashim001@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 00:36:58 +0800
Subject: Greetings from Malaysia
Dear Friend,
Greetings from Malaysia and i know this message might meet you in (utmost surprise) however; it’s just my urgent need for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from Malaysia and currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the Bank in Malaysia.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds (USD$7.245.000.00 Million Dollars) our bank deceased customer late Richard Burk, who died on (Egypt Air Flight 990) along with his family on a plane crash.
i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 50% to me, 50% to you once the conclusion of the transfer with the paying bank is success.
If you agree to my business proposal, further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as i receive your return mail.
Respectfully Yours
Nada Hashim
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Anti-fraud resources:
