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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Machiko Kumiko" <mrsmachiko-kumiko@excite.co.jp>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Machiko Kumiko" <mrs-machikokumiko@excite.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 01:03:14 +0900 (JST)
Subject: My name is Mrs. Machiko Kumiko
My Dear,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe one has to risk confiding before you can succeed sometimes in life. My name is Mrs. Machiko Kumiko. I am a 54years old middle aged Japanese woman, married to a French business man had two children but the two children and my husband died same day in a fatal ghastly motor accident.
I can confide in you for my brighter future since you are a human being like me. There is this huge amount of Fifteen Million five hundred thousand United States dollars. ($15.500.000.00) which my late Husband kept for me with a bank in UK before the fatal ghastly motor accident, Now I have decided to move this money out of this country and invest it in your country or anywhere safe enough for security and political reasons.
I want you to help me claim this fund from the bank and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes in your country in these areas:
1). Telecommunication
2). The transport Industry
3). Five Star Hotel
4). Tourism
5). Real Estate
If you can be of an assistance to me I will be pleased to offer you 10% of the total fund. You can call me for more explanation on this number: 0022566969412.
I await your soonest response.
Respectfully yours,
Mrs. Machiko Kumiko
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Anti-fraud resources:
