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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Ibrahim Zaki Musa <musamribrahim@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 09:28:20 +0000
Subject: Attn: Sir/ Madam.
Dear Friend,
I am Mr Ibrahim Zaki Musa of B.O.A Bank in (Burkina Faso). I got your
email account while searching for a business oriented personality in
my private study in the internet. I bring forth a business proposal in
the tune of $27,200,000 million U.S dollars to be transferred to an
offshore account with your assistance acting as beneficiary and
next-of-kin to the funds.
If you know you are capable of involving and partaking in this
transaction you can contact me immediately to start the transfer
process. Further details about the fund and this transaction will be
given to you upon the receipt of your response. Please understand that
we have to hurry-up our actions because the bank authority here has
plans to redeposit this fund into the treasury of the Central
Government as unclaimed fund if nobody applies for this fund after the
next bank audit which will begin here soon.
Kindly Write me directly with your Address, telephone and fax number
and photograph.
I await your urgent reply.
Yours faithfully.
Mr Ibrahim Zaki Musa.
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Anti-fraud resources:
