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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- 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.
- abdulkaremahmed013@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Abdulkarem Ahmed <abdulkaremahmed26@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2014 01:31:12 +0100
Subject: Request
Assalamualikum,
I ' m Abdulkarem Ahmed AL-Surmi,Brother-in-law to Late Syria Deputy Defense
Minister Asef Shawkat who was assassinated in suicide bomb attack in the
headquarters of the National Security Bureau in the capital Damascus. Asef
Shawkat until his death was former husband to Bushra al-Assad,President
Bashar's older sister.
I am offering you a partnership proposal in a classified monetary
transaction, which involves the need to secretly evacuate and secures some
of his secret funds concealed in a security company in Europe.
I am in a very difficult situation as a result of the crisis in Syria thus
i must evacuate this fund for safety and investments purposes.
More so, this transaction must be done in such a way that it must not be
tied to me as a result of his death and political circumstances in Syria
which is very fragile and intense at the moment.
More details of the transaction will be disclosed to you once you can
assure me that you can be trusted to handle this transaction. Honesty and
trust is what I am in need of, so therefore your assurance of
confidentiality and trust will be highly appreciated. For further
clarification.
I look forward to your earliest response via my private email contact:
abdulkaremahmed013@hotmail.com
Abdulkarem Ahmed AL-Surmi.
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Anti-fraud resources:
