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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:
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Bb. Richards" <kani.chells@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bb.consult@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:43:17 -0700
Subject: Re: hello
I am Richard (Attorney) and I am contacting you On behalf of Eng.John (
last name withhold), a national of your country, and an international
business dealer who served in the oil and the International Gold Fields,
bank an amount of $4.6million with BOA. My client, his wife, and their two
children were involved in the ill fated Kenya Airways crash in the coasts
of Abidjan in January 2000 along with other passengers.
This link "
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/plane-crashes-off-ivory-coast"
will give you some info on the above. I have made several inquiries to your
embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives but has been
unsuccessful. I have since then decided trace anyone who has his last name
over the Internet; hence I have contacted you so that we can benefit from
the above mentioned money.
I have been issued a notice from the Dept Of Finance to provide the
beneficiary/next of kin or else the funds will be confiscated. Because of
my unsuccessful attempt in reaching a member of his family I have decided
to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same
last name so that the funds will be processed and paid to your account
abroad for our benefit.
I require that you will be honest with me in a transaction like this. Be
rest assured that this will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement. If you intend to proceed with me kindly contact me
by way of email and give me your full name and the mode of communication
you prefer along with your phone contacts.
I should be grateful to receive your response.
Sincerely,
BB Richards.
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Anti-fraud resources:
