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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 us 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: MADAM ZINAB <madam.zinabhassan83@live.com>
Reply-To: zinabhassan197841@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 09:54:39 +0100
Subject: RE:GOOD DAY DEAR
Dear friend,
I am no more in Libya but in Ghana for protection.Help me to
secure these Fund and Gold so I will make a different living again and
I must tell you that this has to be done as urgently as possible my
dear.I am urgently looking forward to hearing from you...
The said the money is 25.6 million Us Dollars kept in a big suitcase
secretly hidden and also 86 kilos of gold which he kept somewhere
else. I will want to give you information about all what I am saying
because seeing is believing.I am presently out of Libya because we ran
out during the war.
why I'm writing you is because I want you to take ownership of the
funds and gold which my husband kept because if people know that it
belongs to my late husband they will seize it and report to the Libyan
government. my husband fought and died for his master so, please I
have to keep everything secret until I hear from you. And please all
what I'm saying is just known by both of us and nobody else.
Just for you to claim ownership of the money and the gold I will give
you half of the money and half of the gold when it is under your
control..THANKS
Regards,
madam Zinab
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Anti-fraud resources:
