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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- lamido.sanusi60@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: LAMIDO SANUSI <l.sanusido@live.co.uk>
Reply-To: lamido.sanusi60@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 21:05:15 -0700
Subject: Your partnership to this transaction will guarantee our future.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND IN OUR OWN INTEREST:
Please this letter is to inform you of my desire to work very closely with you to achieve a positive purpose which I truly believe will be in our mutual benefit. I occupy a very strategic position as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and I want to use my good office to do good business with you. There is this deposit I need to push to your account overseas but this will be done after you have assured me that you will operate within sealed lips so that nobody would find out or trace this huge amount to your bank account. There is no risk involved as I would do the transfer under international best practices. Every document that will cover this fund is available except the Duly Sworn Affidavit of claim which would be obtained from a court of competent jurisdiction here in Nigeria. This document will place you as the owner of the above mentioned fund and after that I will wire the money into four tranches directly to your bank account in your country.
As the governor of this bank I will apply everything in my arsenal to make this a huge success. Let me assure you once again that you do not have anything to fear as I will do everything to make sure we get to success. What I sure need from you is your honesty to keep the money intact when it hits your bank account in your country. After this is done I will pay a secret visit to you so that we can sit down and decide what we want to invest with it and preferably in your own country.
Assurances of my highest regards.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (CON)
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria
Email: lamido.sanusi60@yahoo.com.hk
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Anti-fraud resources:
