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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Bruno Derek" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <derrekbruunoo@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 15:06:02 -0400
Subject: Kindly get back to me for further details.
I write to inform you that we have discovered an abandoned funds in security company vault containing the sum of Twenty Million United States Dollars only ($20M) and these funds were unclaimed funds belonging to beneficiaries who either executed contracts for Government long time ago without receiving such funds or unclaimed Inheritance funds .
However, It is important for me to inform you that we have decided to move the funds out of our company vault considering the fact that the time deadline given to the owners to make claims has expired and i have decided to enter into a deal with you to move the funds to you for our own benefits hence i can not be able to move out the funds to my own account or make a direct claims to the funds since i am an insider but can only facilitate the movement of such funds to a second party by way of fronting him or her as the beneficiary of the funds with the assistance of the consultant to security company were the funds are currently deposited for safe keeping.
It is also important for me to let you know that all relevant documentations of the funds are intact and every process of movement of the funds to you will be done legitimately and in accordance with the law.
In fact, i have decided that we will share the funds thus %55 for me and %40 for you and while %5 will be taken out of the funds to refund all expenses that we may incurred during the process provided that you are capable of receiving the funds which i am willing to use part of my own share for a good lucrative business investment in your country under your supervision.
I will give you further details as soon as i hear from you with your assurance that you will never betray me nor run away with the funds as soon as the funds are in your custody.
Kindly get back to me for further details.
I look forward to hearing from you with your contact telephone numbers and address for better communications .
Yours Faithfully,
Bruno Derek
Director of Operations
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