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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:
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22556785622 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: mrs.akuma30@yahoo.co.th <mariamak6@godmail.dk>
Reply-To: mrs.akuma30@yahoo.co.th
Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 15:23:43 +0200
Subject: Hello Dear
Hello Dear
My name is Mrs.Mariam from Botswana. I am married to Dr.Akuma Toyo
who worked with Botswana embassy in Cote D'Ivoire as secretary for
nine years before he died in the year 2008, We married for eighteen
years with a child.
He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days.Since
his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my
matrimonial home. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum
of $7.5 MILLION U.S DOLLARS in a bank in Cote D'Ivoire, Recently My
Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Two
months due to cancer Problem.
Though what disturbs me most is my stroke. Having known my condition I
decided to donate part of this fund to motherless babies home or
better still a God fearing individual that will utilize this money to
the glory of God and to take care of my only child Junior Herny,+225
56785622
Mrs.Mariam Akuma Toyo
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Anti-fraud resources:
