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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)
- "million 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: amanda mensah <amandamen104@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <amandamensah11@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 02:59:17 +0000
Subject: From Miss Amanda Mensah
Hello
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits, my name is Miss Amanda Mensah leaving and schooling in Accra Ghana, Please i know that this will be a big surprise to you base on to build a partnership trust with you in assisting me in foreign businesses for benefit of both of us, my parents passed away in the month of June 2013 in a house born down. Before his death he left a huge sum of money Twelve Million Dollars (USD12 Million) and also 100KGS of Gold kept in a bank for safe keeping here in Accra, the capital of Ghana. it is by his grace that the bank has summoned me to come forward with my guardianship for the claims.I contact you for a great assistance and opinion in the investing of these properties in your country, all I want from you is to give me foreign assistance to finance/receive these funds and Gold to a safer place in your country as my foreign legal trustee to avoid loosing them to the government. am willing to continue my Education and for you to do the investment in your country.
Am waiting your urgent respond
God bless you.
Miss Amanda Mensah
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Anti-fraud resources:
