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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "transfer into your account" (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: "KELLY GILBERT" <kellygilbert119@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "KELLY GILBERT" <gilbertkelly21@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 18:11:16 +0000
Subject: CAN YOU PARTNER WITH ME?
Hello,
I am Kelly Gilbert, an attorney at law based in Western part of Africa. I
have a business transaction of huge sum of money i want to solicit for
your partnership to execute it without hitch.
I have a client who happens to be a top government official, he has been
my client for a couple years now. He gave me an assignment to source for
a foreign partner of high profile that can be trusted.
He has the sum of $45 Million in a secured account that is ready to be
transferred to any bank in outside my country for investment but his
problem is he has no one to confined in.
He further said arrangement's are also on ground for the successful
conclusion of the transfer into your account without any financial
commitment on your side.
He said you will have 10% of the total fund for receiving the fund. If
you can handle this with all sincerity get back to me for details if not
please don't border.
Thank you,
Kelly Gilbert.
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Anti-fraud resources:
