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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:
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mme. Matilda Kebbine." <ak257237896@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Matilda.Kebbineh@t-online.de
Date: Thu, 8 May 2014 08:58:50 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Thanks for your cooperation.
My Dear,
It is my pleasure to
contact you for a business venture which i and my child intend to establish
with you.
I want to confide on you
for the brighter future of my child since you are a human being like me. There is €4,800,000.00 (Four Million Eight
Hundred Thousand Euros) which my late husband kept in a bank here before sudden
death. Now i and my little son have decided to invest this money in your
country or anywhere safe enough for security and political reasons.
We want you to help us so
that this money can be transferred to your account for a joint investment
purposes for our common benefit.
If you can be of assistance
to us we will be pleased to offer to you 10% of the total fund for your
assistance in getting the fund transferred.
I await your soonest
response.
Mrs. Matilda Kebbine.
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Anti-fraud resources:
