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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:
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Ellen Green <jeankonan7@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ellengreen05875651@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 13:29:34 +0100
Subject: FROM: ELLEN GREEN
--
DEAR ONE,
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT I KNOW THAT THIS MAIL MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE
BUT IT IS BORNE OUT OF GENUIE NEED FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE.
I AM MISS ELLEN GREEN THE DAUGHTER OF FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR OF
SIERRA LEONE GOLD AND DIAMOND CORPORATION MR JOHNSON GREEN, WHO WAS
ASSASINATED BY THE REBEL FORCES LOYAL TO MR FORDAY SANKOH DURING THE
PEAK OF THE CIVIL WAR IN OUR COUNTRY SIERRA LEONE. BEFORE MY FATHER
DIED, HE GAVE OUR MOTHER A DEPOSIT CRTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT MEANT FOR A
SECRET DEPOSIT FOR THE SUM OF USD15, 000,000.00 MILLION.
MY MOTHER WHO LATER DIED OF HYPERTENSION SIX MONTHS AFTER THE DEATH OF
MY FATHER,ON HER SICK BED TOLD ME TO COLLECT THE DOCUMENTS AND PRESENT
THEM TO THE FIRM IF SHE EVENTUALLY DIES AND ENSURE THAT I SOURCE FOR A
TRUSTED AND RELIABLE FOREIGNER PARTNER TO ASSIST US RETRIVE THE MONEY
FROM FIRM TO HIS OR HER COUNTRY ABROAD AFTER WHICH I AND MY YOUNGER
BROTHER PRINCE WILL JOIN THE PERSON FOR THE INVESTMENT OF THE MONEY IN
GOOD BUSINESS AND FOR MY YOUNGER BROTHER TO CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION.
THIS WAS THE INTENTION OF MY FATHER BEFORE HE DIED. I HAVE PRESENTED
THE DOCUMENTS TO THE FIRM AND THEY ARE AWAITING FOR THE FOREIGN
PARTNER OF OUR LATE FATHER DETAILS ADDRRESS.THIS IS ALSO IN LINE WITH
THE AGREEMENT MY LATE FATHER ENTERED INTO WITH THE FIRM AT THE TIME OF
DEPOSIT THAT THE DEPOSIT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO ADDRESS OF THE
BENEFICIARY WHOSE NAME HE DID NOT DISCLOSE TO THE FIRM. YOU ARE
REQUIRED TO PROVIDE CONTACT DETAILS WHERE WE WILL SUBMIT TO THEM.
YOU WILL ALSO BE IN CUSTODY OF THE MONEY PENDING WHEN I AND MY BROTHER
WILL JOIN FOR THE INVESTMENT IN GOOD BUSINESS AND FOR PRINCE TO
CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION.
YOU WILL HAVE 10% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT AND ALSO 40% SHARE OF THE
BUSINESS WILL BE YOUR OWN.
GOD WILL BLESS YOU FOR ASSISTING US.
ELLEN AND PRINCE GREEN
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