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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- 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.
- olegbeld@yahoo.co.uk (Yahoo, United Kingdom; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Oleg Beldintsev <kclaurence1@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2015 00:34:34 -0400
Subject: Hello
Dear friend,
Hope you are well? My name is Mr. Oleg Beldintsev; I am working with a bank
here in Togo and I have a business proposal of $2.8 million United
State Dollars
for you. I am an account officer to one late Mr. Osman who died in Abidjan
Capital of Cote D'ivoire during their passed election crisis with his
family and there were no beneficiaries stated concerning these funds since
then, which means no one, would ever come forward to claim it, I therefore
contact you as a foreigner to get the fund transferred out of my bank.
I will give you more details and how we can work together once I receive
your positive response via my private email (olegbeld@yahoo.co.uk).
Thanks and best regards,
*Mr. Oleg Beldintsev.*
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Anti-fraud resources:
