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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- hasssanusman002@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Usman Hassan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hasssanusman002@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:18:00 +1100
Subject: Dear Beloved Beneficiary
Dear Beloved Beneficiary
How are you doing today? Hope is fine?
I believe you will understand this mail. Please take your time and read this mail and get back to me for solutions.Have you ask yourself the reason why you have not succeeded in receiving that inheritance funds. I know the source of the funds that you did not execute any contract in Africa , although I am the only person privileged to know this information and it is a fact. Why I am making this clear to you is that I can see that you are still making efforts in order to conclude this project. Now I am ready to forget the past.If your really want to receive your fund and know the reason you have not received it. Kindly contact me back so that I will give you a download and tell you what you will do to receive the fund without sending money here and there with no result.
I need your promise that no official of the Bank will be aware of my involvement in this regard because of my position. Now re-assure me that you will be willing to compensate me and that you will assist mywife to establish a foreign account in your country where my compensation will be lodged. I am a man of my word.
If you are ready to conclude this business with me, kindly contact me on my private email(hasssanusman002@gmail.com)so that we can have a chat over this issue once and for all. But if the reverse is the case, do not bother yourself to reach me and forget about this money.
BEST REGARDS
Dr. Usman Hassan
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Anti-fraud resources:
