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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.
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million us 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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- zinabhassan853@yahoo.com.au (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- for your response. please contact me with this email (zinabhassan853@yahoo.com.au )or you contact our family lawyer by name barr.koffi (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. William Cookey" <cookey939@gmail.com>
Reply-To: zinabhassan853@yahoo.com.au
Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 10:04:19 +0100
Subject: Your immediate assistance is needed.
Dear Friend,
I hope my mail will fine you and your family in good health. My name
is Zinab Hassan, i know it will be a big surprise for you to receive
my email because email like these fly over the internet telling people
about funds and every other things. but my self always receives offer
from the internet which i normally delete because i believe it will be
scam letter but please i beg you and i swear to the Allah i worship
that what am telling you is not a joke or a scam, if you follow
everything i have said in my letter both of us will be happy for the
rest of our life.
I 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. He said the money is in Us
Dollars $30.5 million Us Dollars and all kept in a big suitcase kept
in a secret hide out in a Security company here in wast Africa . and
also 150 kilos of gold which he kept at the someplace . I will want to
give you information about all what am saying because seeing is
believing. i am presently out of Libya because we ran out during the
war.
Why am written you is because i want you to take ownership of the
funds and gold which my husband kept because if people knows that it
belongs to my late husband they will size it and report to the Libyan
government. my husband fight and died for his master so please i have
to keep everything secret until i hear from you. and please all what
am saying is just known by the both of us and nobody else.
I have 2 children for my late husband and nothing to feed them here
until i can get hold of what i just told you but i still have to be
very carefully not to lose the money or the gold. i will give you 20%
of the fund and that of the gold if you will assist me. I will tell
you how you can receive the money and the gold when i hear from you.
also every other details will be given when i see your seriousness to
help us receive the both items. please send me your direct details and
phone number so we can talk. my first son speak English very
well.please reply with your information. I also want you to know that
the money and the gold are not in Libya both of them are kept in
different countries. i will let you know the countries as soon as i
hear from you, i will wait for your response.
please contact me with this Email (zinabhassan853@yahoo.com.au )Or you
contact our family lawyer by name Barr.Koffi Johnson Williams on his
email :(koffi_johnson001gh@yahoo.co.uk) or call him on phone
number:+233
24 3935032 for more details and information.
your truly
Madam Zinab
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Anti-fraud resources:
