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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- 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.
- mrkone.amoah@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Kone Amoah" <mr.koneamoah@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 10:30:27 +0000
Subject: Hello Dear.
FROM THE BRANCH MANAGER
BARCLAYS BANK PLC.
KUMASI BRANCH GHANA.
Hello Dear.
My name is Mr.Kone Amoah I am the manager of the Barclays bank kumasi
Branch Ghana.I am a Ghanaian, married with two kids. I am writing to
solicit for your assistance in the transfer of funds valued at
$4,750,000.00 (four million seven hundred and fifty thousand United
States Dollars.) This fund is the excess of what my branch in which I
am the Manager made as profit during the last annual audition. I have
already submitted an approved end of the year report for the year to
my head office in Accra and they will never know of this excess.
As an official of the bank i cannot be directly connected to this
fund, so this informed me of contacting you for us to work for mutual
benefits. I want you to assist in receiving this fund into your bank
account for us Meanwhile you will have 40% of the total fund. Note
there are practically no risks involved as it is going to be bank to
bank transfer. All i need from you is to stand as the original
depositor of this fund who made the deposit with our branch so that my
Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.
If you accept to work with me, call me at +233 232608885 or respond
Via email for more details (mrkone.amoah@yahoo.co.uk)
Regards,
Mr.Kone Amoah
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Anti-fraud resources:
