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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million united states 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)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- georgemensah08@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: MR GEORGE MENSAH <georgemensah08@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 12:55:14 -0700
Subject:
DEAR SIR,
I AM GEORGE MENSAH ,THE CHIEF CORPORATE INVESTMENT BANKER OF ECO BANK
LIMITED
GHANA WEST AFRICA .I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN WHAT AM ABOUT TO TELL
YOU.THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF IT'S NATURE AS BEING HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND
URGENT.
I AM LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE A CONFIDENTIAL
BUSINESS TRANSACTION. A LEADING BUSINESS MAN AND STATESMAN OF A FAR ASIA
COUNTRY UNTIL HIS JIM.DEATH RECENTLY, BANKED AND HAD A CLOSING BALANCE OF
US$5M (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) AND 400KILOS OF GOLD IN A FIXED
DEPOSIT ACCOUNT.
WHICH THE BANK UNQUESTIONABLY EXPECTS TO BE CLAIMED BY ANY AVAILABLE
FOREIGN NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE LATE BENEFICIARY.SIR, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS
WITH YOU REGARDING TO THIS FUNDS. PERSONAL EMAIL BOX:
georgemensah08@gmail.com AWAITING YOUR RESPONSE.
REGARDS,
GEORGE MENSAH.
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Anti-fraud resources:
