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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "please indicate your willingness" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Hassan Saidu <hassan.saidu01@gmail.com>
Reply-To: hassansaidu11@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2015 02:23:53 +0200
Subject: FROM:MR HASSAN SAIDU
FROM:MR HASSAN SAIDU
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER,
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (A D B)
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO.
Dear Friend
This message might come to you as a surprise. However, it all just my
urgent needs for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for
this transaction. I got your details after an extensive on-line search
Via (Network Power Charitable Trust) while I was searching for a
foreign partner. I assured of your capability and reliability to
champion this business opportunity when I was praying about you. I am
a banker by profession in Burkina Faso West Africa and currently
holding the post of BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER in our bank.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($22.3
million dollars) of one of my bank clients who died along with his
entire family on 17 January 2008 in a plane crash. I am inviting you
for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the
ratio of 60 / 40% while 10% will be set aside to take care of expenses
that may arise during the time of transfer and also telephone bills,
if you agree to my business proposal. Further details of the transfer
will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your responses. Please
indicate your willingness by sending your Personal Mobile Number for
easy communication.
Thanks.
Best regards,
MR HASSAN SAIDU
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Anti-fraud resources:
