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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "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 orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Amed Suleman <promice.calistus@gmail.com>
Reply-To: suleman1amed@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 2015 22:59:15 +0200
Subject: help me,
Dear,
In confidence, I have to introduce myself to you first. I am Mr Amed
Suleman the only son of late Mr and Mrs Mohamed Suleman. I wish to
request for your assistance in my efforts to help me claim a
consignment that contain the sum of. (USD$9.600,000.00) from the
Security Company here in my country. The consignment was deposited by
my late father and my name was used as next of kin to the consignment.
The consignment was deposited as a family valuable Treasure items to
the Security Company by my late father before his sudden death. I need
your assistance in helping me in regards of the claim and transfer it
to your country for investment ventures.
As it is my desire to come over to your country to further my
education while you help me to invest the fund after the claim. I am
willing to offer you 20% out of the total fund after the successful
claim of the consignment from the Security Company. I will very
appreciative if you can return to me with urgent dispatch to enable me
advise you on the modalities.
I await in anticipation to receive your immediate response.
My kind Regards.
Mr Amed Suleman.
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Anti-fraud resources:
