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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Abit Sadam" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <abitsadam@outlook.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 18:02:47 +0300
Subject: Good Day my good friend
Good Day my good friend
I am Mr.Abit sadam from Southern Sudan. I was working with the Sudan Government before I was declared wanted by the Sudanese Government after my master was killed. My job in Sudan was to help top Government officials transfer money to Europe and middle east. I made a deposit of Twelve million euros (€12,000,000).in a secret company in Turkey during that period. I want you to help me retrive this money because I cannot travel out of my country to go and claim this fund to avoid them getting me because if they get me they will kill me immediately.
Contact me back so that i will send you the contact details of the security company and the deposit certificate which you will use to claim the funds on my behalf from the security company in Turkey.
I will guild you with every information that will be needed from the security company.
Please contact me as soon as possible.
Thanks,
May Allah bless you so much.
Regards,
Mr.Abit sadam.
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Anti-fraud resources:
