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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Sumbre Jimmy <lboota@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <sumbrej@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 20:19:01 +0000
Subject: Very urgent
My name is Ms Sumbre R. Jimmy, I am 21 years old Medical student in
University of Sudan. I am the only child of my father,Late Mr. Jimmy
Lemi Milla who was the rural development minister in Sudan who was
murdered in his office in July 2011 in cold blood. You can read more
about my father death in the BBC news website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12403620
I am actually in
search of an honest and reliable person who will assist me to transfer
sum of US$4.5M my father deposited with a bank in Burkina faso which l
was the next of kin and signatory before his death. l need your
assistance to transfer the fund abroad and to relocate to your country
after the transfer to continue with my studies for my safety and a better life.
I am constrained to contact you because of the maltreatment am receiving
from my step mother whom in partnership with my father only brother has
taken away all my fathers treasury and assets since the unexpected
death of my Father and also refused me access to everything and hid my
international passport and other valuable traveling documents, luckily
to me she didn't know about the deposit of US$4.5m my late father
made with a bank when I traveled with him to Burkina-Faso on my 18th birthday
which l want to transfer abroad.
I managed to escape to
Ouagadougou Burkina-Faso through road, and am currently leaving under a
charity organization as an asylum seeker here in Burkina-Faso. I believe
you are a reliable person who will not let me down or betray my
trust. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I
believe you will not betray me. I have gone to the bank to confirm the
deposit and establish ownership, please I need your assistance urgently
in moving this fund to your country for investment and also help me
relocate to your country. When my inheritance is properly secured you
will have 20% of the value for your assistance. Please get back to me if
you are willing to assist me. Have a nice day.
Regards
Ms Sumbre
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