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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:
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mohd Malik <aliasnadzrimohd@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mohd@malik.akyacht.com
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 12:53:45 +0100
Subject: URGENT PLEASE
Hello,
I don't know why you did not respond to my previous email to you. Please
consider this email urgent and important. I am Mr. Malik Mohammad,i worked
with the Public Bank of Malaysia before my recent resignation. I wish to
place your name as the beneficiary to Six million five hundred thousand
united state dollars (USD6.5M) due to the death of the depositor who died
years ago without a named beneficiary. Let me remind you that this
transaction is not only completely risk free but also will change our life
immensely, it is just like a friend of yours or a relative put your name
as his next of kin with the bank.
So, I write to seek your consent to put you forward and present you as the
next-of-kin of this deceased client so that proceeds from his estate can
be paid into your account and we share the proceed on a mutually agreed
percentage (probably 60% of the entire fund to me while 40% left for the
other party). As a former accountant with the bank, I cannot be directly
connected to this money and KNOW THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS
TOTALLY SAVE AND RISK FREE as you should have nothing to
be worried of.
The funds I am referring to is right now floating in suspense account with
the bank and will be confiscated soon if no claim is made. Therefore I
solicit for your urgent cooperation to be in collaboration with me to have
this done. It will be transferred into an account you will provide any
where in the world.Further directives on how this transaction will be done
will be provided to you once I receive your response.
Note: I am dealing with you on a personal note. Hence you have to keep
this transaction confidential.
Regards
Malik Mohammad
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