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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:
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: <>
Reply-To: benmakena@outlook.com
Date: Wed, 06 Apr 2016 11:26:43 +0200
Subject: Dear Good Friend
From: Benaard Makena Email: benmakena@outlook.com Republic of South Africa=
. Dear Good Friend, It is my great pleasure to write you this letter of bus=
iness proposition which will be huge beneficial to both of us in the near f=
uture. I find your contact details from the South Africa Exchange Informati=
on On-line Service on my personal programmed search on the internet for a r=
eputable company or individual to assist me sincerely & confidential which =
your information & profiles were very satisfactory, so I decided to contact=
you promptly. The sum of US$56.75M was deposited with our security/finance=
company here in South Africa under: ANC.UN Security Council Libya Sandions=
Committee. I am sourcing for your assistance to re-profile this fund for i=
nvestment with you as a fund manager/partner. The fund was trailed to Colon=
el Muamar Gadhafi former Libyan president who was executed in 2011 after a =
political uprising in Libya. I source to use your facility to re-profile an=
d invest this fund with you as a partner. I await your urgent response soon=
whilst thanking you for your anticipated co-operation. Please try contacti=
ng me through this email Address: (benmakena@outlook.com) for more details =
and with all your particulars. You can read the information contained on th=
is link: http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/un-sa-row-over-gaddafi-assets-1.1=
560318#.Uhst6NJHIwY http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/UN-SA-row-looms-=
over-Gaddafi-loot-20130811 http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Gaddafi-b=
illions-held-in-SA-report-20130602 Regards, Benaard Makena=20
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Anti-fraud resources:
