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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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)
- "million united states 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)
- "abuja" (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.
- koffyange@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Koffy Ange" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <koffyange@accountant.com>
Date: Tue, 5 May 2015 13:38:11 -0700
Subject: Greetings To You
Dear friend,
Greetings to you, I know that this message might meet you in utmost surprise as both of us never know or see each other before, however its just my urgent need of a foreign partner that
made me to contact you for an urgent business transaction. I saw your email address while browsing through
our D.T.C Screen in my office so I decided to use this very chance to contact you.
I am a banker by profession currently holding the Post of Director Auditing and Accounting Unit with a Bank
here in Abuja Federal Capital Territory Of Nigeria. I have an opportunity of transferring a left over funds of
($5 Million USD) Five Million United States Dollars belonging to one of my bank clients an Expatriate from
your country who died along with his entire family in an auto crash on 21st July 2010.
This funds has been laying with the bank for more than four years and if not claim by any next of kin to the
deceased client before the end of the first quoter of 2015 will be confiscate by the Government of Nigeria
as an abandoned fund.
On this ground I am inviting you to stand as the next of kin to the account owner and have the funds release
to your designated account in your country where the money can be shared between both of us in the ratio
of 60/40, what am trying to say is this 60% for me as the founder of the business while 40% will be offer to
you.
Upon your acceptance on this proposal, further details of the transaction will be made known to you as soon
I receive your return mail. You should contact me through my private email address (koffyange@accountant.com) as soon as you receive this letter with your full contact details for the transfer to commence.
1. Your Full Name
2.The Name of Your Bank
3.The Bank A/c. No.
4.Your A/c Beneficiary's Name
5.Your Bank swift code or Iban code
Kind Regards,
Mr Koffy Ange
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