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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:
- "00,000.00" (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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Edna Paul <ednapaul@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: Edna Paul <ednapaul@angelic.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 18:50:34 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: My dear
My dear,
I am Mrs. Edna Paul. I hope you are doing great.
You may see my message as a surprise because there is no other means for me to use contact you except through this medium.
I am here in Ivory Coast where my late husband has industrial production before his sudden death. It is sad news to say that my husband and my only son died in the motor accident in 2012. Since then i have not get myself even i am writing to you from the hospital where I was admitted for cancer treatment.
Recently, following my ill health, my doctor told me that i would not last for the next Eight months due to my cancer problem. Having known my condition i decided to donate the money my late husband deposited with a bank here to an organization or an individual outside this country that will utilize the money ($5,200,000.00 Million USD) the way i am going to instruct herein.
I want this money to be used to carter for the less privilege. I took this decision because I don’t have any child that will inherit this money and before the money might get confiscated by the bank. I will issue an authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of this money for this social work.
Waiting for your prompt reply.
Mrs. Edna Paul.
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Anti-fraud resources:
