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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)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "FROM CODE DUUBR772" <codedur@live.com>
Reply-To: infobarrjoelgana@foxmail.com
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2013 22:23:19 +0200
Subject: PLEASE ACCEPT THIS COMPENSATION AND FORGIVE ME
DEAR FRIEND,
ITS BEEN QUITE LONG SINCE WE HEARD FROM EACH OTHER. BETRAYAL THEY SAY IS
THE WILLFUL SLAUGHTER OF HOPE. I HAVE BETRAYED YOU MY FRIEND FROM THE
MOMENT YOU RESPONDED TO THAT EMAIL I SENT TO YOU SOME TIME AGO, FROM THAT
MOMENT YOU ACCEPTED THAT LOTTO WINING NOTICE/BUSINESS PROPOSAL AND THEN
YOU SENT ME YOUR NAME, ADDRESS PHONE AND ACCOUNT DETAILS.
FROM THAT MOMENT I CHOOSE TO BETRAY YOU WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO TRUST ME. I
DIVERTED THE MONEY TO MYSELF. I AM SO SORRY THAT YOU HAVE LOST A LOT OF
MONEY TO CLAIM THIS PRIZE.
I AM IN A POOR STATE OF HEALTH NOW AND I MAY HAVE DIED FROM CANCER BEFORE
MY SON SEND YOU THIS LETTER, BUT PLEASE ACCEPT THE ONE MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS COMPENSATION AS AN ATONEMENT FOR MY SIN
AGAINST YOU. PLEASE CONTACT MY LEGAL ADVISER BARR. JOEL GANA BASED IN
NIGERIA BECAUSE I HAVE GIVEN HIM INSTRUCTIONS TO DELIVER THIS MONEY TO YOU
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YOU CAN CONTACT MY LEGAL ADVISER BARR. JOEL GANA JUST TELL HIM THAT YOU
ARE CONTACTING HIM UNDER INSTRUCTION FROM CODE:DUUBR772 HE WILL HONOR MY
WILL. FORGIVE ME THIS IS ALL I ASK FOR. PLEASE SEND HIM YOUR I.D, PHONE
AND ADDRESS FOR VERIFICATION AND PAYMENT PROCESSING.
MY SPIRIT WILL BE UPLIFTED ONCE YOU GET THIS COMPENSATION.
REGARDS
DUUBR772
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