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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:
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: Michael Villegas <jnwllms34@gmail.com>
Reply-To: villegasm917@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 11:04:42 +0100
Subject: I have agreed to give you 30% of the total amount of money
I am a british citizen living in Benin Republic i operated in the
economic capital of (west African Island) during my days.
I have an urgent and confidential business proposal to make with you.I
do seriously need your help because I am disabled from a motor
accident and can not travel abroad on Doctor’s orders. I was an Oil
and Gold consultant based in Ghana, and because I helped a lot of
foreign Crude Oil Companies to get Crude Oil and Gold Lifting Rights
and lucrative Oil Contracts from Ghana and Nigeria, I was able to
amass some gold.
I need your assistant in retrieving my money from a storage company in
Europe precisely.My partner has deposited the money there when
there was crisis in Europe when he was there for a sale of my gold.He
was smart enough to deposit my funds in a storage company for safe
keeping.. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in Europe
during a business trips abroad in June 2007.i have all documentations
needed to prove the source of the funds were submitted when the funds
were being deposited and these documents would prove the source of the
funds and authenticate the fact that the funds are clean and has no
links whatsoever with either drugs or terrorism.
Its absolutely impossible for me to do anything as regards going to
Europe due to my health status and financial stability.
You are being contacted because your assistance is needed in claiming
the funds on my behalf.
The amount was accrued from Gold sales over a period of 3 years and
its USD30M (Thirty Million U.S.Dollars).These funds are fully free of
any liens, or encumbrances and are clean, clear and has no criminal
origin.
For your assistance in this transaction, I have agreed to give you 30%
of the total amount of money which is equivalent to US$9 Million (Nine
Million United States Dollars) and this role simply entails
retrieving the funds on my behalf from the Storage Company in Europe
and further more information needed to claim the funds would be sent
to you as soon as you indicate your interest in assisting me as well
as providing the following information to facilitate the smooth
conclusion of the transaction..
1) Your Full Name: ___________________ ________
2) Your Address:___________ ____________________
3) Your Telephone Number:____________ ___________
4) Your Fax Number: ___________________ _______
5) Your Mobile Number:____________ _________________
6 ) Occupation :__________________ __
I await your response urgently.
REGARDS
Michael Villegas
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