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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:
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "i feel quite safe dealing with you in this important business" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss Suzy" <arsenesuzyanna@openmailbox.org>
Reply-To: arsenesuzyanna@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 05:02:29 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: Investment
Please excuse me that I exercise a little patience and read through my
letter I feel quite safe dealing with you in this important business. I
know my letter will reach you as a surprise because we have never meet
for the first time, but I really do like to have a good relationship with
you because I have a reason Special to contact you, I decided to contact
you because of the urgency of my situation here.
I am Miss Arsene Suzyanna the daughter of the late Dr. Francois Aloys
Arsene.
I want to move your country for investment with the fund left to me by my
deceased father. My father was killed in Ivory Coast and France War.
Because the new government after the death of my father I think the best
option for me now is to relocate and then use the money My late father
left a lucrative investment and buy a house living in their country. The
amount is (3 Million) Three million United state of America currency in a
private security company and i am making every arrangement with the
security company to move the briefcase that contains the fund to your
country.
I'm planning to move from here as soon as the fund is transferring this
country is more important than want you to act as my late father foreign
trade partner in all documents so that will be more easy to move money
from here, promise to give 15% of the total Basically, if you're going to
be able to help and give me an account means that the fund will be
transferred to your bank account in your country or in another place.
I am waiting for your urgent response and let this be confidential
because I do not want people around me here for my plan because Safety.
More details will be given to you once I hear from you with your data
personal as well.
Thanks and be blessed.
Miss Arsene Suzyanna.
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