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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:
- "hundred thousand american 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Nassim Abbas <augustinefrancis001@gmail.com>
Reply-To: nassimabbas0011@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 02:31:18 +0100
Subject: Assalam Alaikum.
Assalam Alaikum.
Please read with care
Greeting to you
My Names is Nassim Abbas i am 23years old girl i am a french but
presently in Cote d'ivoire since the death of my father who is
originally ivorian. while my mother is from toulouse france.both of
them married when my father was in toulouse france though. the
marriage did not last long because my mother died when i was only
5years old
My father was a successful and weal thy business man who deals no
importation of aluminum and iron steel here in the nity of abidjan
cote d'ivoire before his death on 30th august 2013 as result of
diabetes. now his business has been claimed by his brothers. they
don'teven care about me. now before my father died in the hospital he
told me that he deposited a sum of money $2.500.000.00 (TWO MILLION,
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND AMERICAN DOLLARS) in a bank. and made me his
next of kin who shall inherit the money in future. he also warned me
to relocate out of this country because. his brothers are evil and
greedy. and they can kill me because of this money.
Dear. my reason for contacting you is to ask you to stand behind me as
my foreign partner to claim this money from the bank and transfer it
to your account so that i will relocate over to your country and
settle down in your country and you will also help me to invest that
money wisely in a good venture. after the transfer of the money to
your account i promise to give you 30% of the total money for all your
effort and expense in helping me out of this condition.
Allah bless you
Nassim Abbas
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