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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:
- "million 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs.Nenita Villaran" <mrsnenita@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 18:26:53 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Hi
Hello,
Please I am sorry to disturb you with this letter. I am having a problem which makes me decided to contact you after going through your profile. I am Madam Nenita Villaran, A complete citizen of Philippines, widow to the late former Governor in Philippine who was killed against the country by the Abu Sayyaf movement in the southern luxury beach region on the 11th April 2002 that rendered many people of different nationals dead. I inherited a total sum of 12 million dollars from my late husband, which my late Husband deposited in one of Security and Finance Company in Abidjan which he wanted to used for investment in our Country before he dead.
Now I have decided to invest this money in country anywhere safe enough outside for security and political reasons. We want you to help us contact the Security and Finance Company as my late husband foreign business partner and the beneficiary of the money and give them immediate instruction to deliver the box to your country to enable you plan for the investment we will go into in your Country.
As soon as you confirm the money in your country I and my daughter will come over to meet you for the possible investment. My main purpose of sending you this mail is because of my ill health I found you and perhaps trustworthy to give this priority of transferring of box to you in a place that you think is very secure and safe in your country with your percentage of which we shall chat on soon. Once I get a reply from you, IÂ will give you the contact of this Security and Finance Company in Abidjan for you to contact them.
I give thanks immensely for your co-operation as I look forward to your urgent response.
Be blessed
Madam Nenita
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Anti-fraud resources:
