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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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "mamadoualaza@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Alaza Mamadou <malazoffice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mamadoualaza@outlook.com
Date: Fri, 1 May 2015 08:33:36 -0700
Subject: REPLY ME
Dear Friend,
Can you to assist in claiming my late client Dr. Marko , funds valued
at eight million five hundred thousand dollars deposited with the
"Afriland First Bank Benin" before been confiscated by the bank? He is
a citizen of your country and a former Director Saga Petroleum
Company. He passed away on October 18, 2010 as a result of Disastrous
Flooding in Benin.
The Bank issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. I seek your
consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased;then we can
share the money fifty percent to me and fifty percent to you. I
guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Show your interest by providing your personal data then I will give
you more information about the transaction thereafter.
Reply urgently.(mamadoualaza@outlook.com)
Regards,
Avocat Alaza Mamadou.
Address: 08 BP 423- Cotonou Benin Republic.
(Wisdom Trust Law Firm)
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Anti-fraud resources:
