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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "may come to you as a surprise" (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)
- "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.
- 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.
- kouaogloria@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Gloria Kouao <marilobouabre@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Gloria Kouao <kouaogloria@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 12:30:48 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Can I trust you?
Dear,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to establish in your country. Though, I have not meet with you before but I believe one has to risk confidence to succeed sometimes in life. This message may come to you as a surprise because we have never meet each other.
There is this huge amount of Five Million United States dollars ($5.000.000.00) which my late father kept for me in a Security Fund Holders company here in Abidjan, (Cote d’Ivoire) before his death. Now, I have decided to invest the money in your country or anywhere safe enough for security reasons. I want you to help me claim and retrieve these funds from the Security Fund Holder company and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes on these areas:
1). Real Estate
2). Transportation
3). Five star hotel
Beloved, I want you to know that any delay in your reply will automatically push me to look for another person for this same purpose.
Please kindly assure me that you will act according as I have Stated herein. Reply to my private email address: kouaogloria@hotmail.com
If you can be of any assistance to me I will be pleased to offer you 20% of the total fund.
I await your soonest response.
Respectfully yours,
Gloria Kouao
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Anti-fraud resources:
