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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:
- "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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: benjamin yerima <benjamin_yerima@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 06:30:15 +0000
Subject: My greetings to you
My greetings to you
At least I have got a chance to write a very first letter for you. I feel so nice I did not even know that it is possibly to experience such feelings only by writing a letter. Honestly speaking, I am very glad to have such possibility and I will be very, very happy to know you better.
My name is Benjamin Mensah I am the only Son of late Dr and Mrs. Koffi Mensah, I will like to tell you one secret about me and my intentions, my fathers relatives made some attempts on my life in order to inherit my fathers wealth. Due to this attitude of my father's relatives, I decided to run to Accra Ghana where i am presently living in a Charity Home.
Before the death of My father he was a big exporter of Gold in Sierra Leone and also in Ghana and My late father gave me a secret concerning money he deposit with a Bank in Accra Ghana. He deposits US$2.5 million dollars in my name. And I want you to help me transfer this money to your Account and as soon as the money is transfer to your Account you will help me to come to your country and you will also help me to invest the money in your country ok.
Please help me and you will never ever regret it because my future is hinged on this money that i am asking you to help me transfer to your Account and my father confided in me about this deposit. I have also visited the bank and i know that the money is intact.
Remain Blessed
Benjamin Mensah
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Anti-fraud resources:
