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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "death certificate" (this phrase is often used in inheritance scams such as next of kin or https://www.419scam.org/419-murdered-businessman.htm">orphan scams. )
- 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.
- madammahakhalaf@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MADAMMAHA KHALAF <mahakhalaf962@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:15:55 +0000
Subject: DEAR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED
*Dear Friend, *
*I am writing to inform you the situation we are facing here in republic of
Niger,.. am from Libya and my husband is one of the late Gaddafi sons
driver. it was my husband who took Gaddafi family to Niger and Algeria when
they ran from Libya. but he came back to Libya and died when their convoy
was hit by NATO bomb. but he told me something very important when he was
alive. he told me how he took some money from Gaddafi son and kept it in a
secret place and Gold.i have 4 children for my husband. I am seeking your
help to stand as my upfront receiver of the FUNDS & GOLD, that **means i
will name you as our foreign beneficiary receiver of the Fund and the Gold,
all i need is your trust and sincerity and i know you will not betray
us...When i hear from you i will discuss more on the easy way to go about
it and how you can contact the vaults company where the Fund and the Gold
was Deposited for safe-keeping..meaning that i will provide you with the
Deposited Certificate of the Fund and the Gold and Death certificate of my
late Husband and also provide you the full details of the company for you
to contact the company..Waiting to hearing from you...this is my
Email:Address*
*(madammahakhalaf@yahoo.com <madammahakhalaf@yahoo.com>)*
*Yours Sincerely,*
*Madam Maha khalaf*
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Anti-fraud resources:
