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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:
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: El-Rufai Ibrahim <princeakukwame@gmail.com>
Reply-To: elrufaiibrahim@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2016 19:54:45 +0100
Subject: I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
My name is Barrister El-Rufai Ibrahim, I am a legal practitioner. I
hereby solicit for your urgent and positive response to assist me in
repatriation of my late client fund since you bear the same surname
with him.
The fund was deposited with a Bank here in my country Ghana . It's
valued is ( $27 million).
He died in car accident with his family ( wife and only child ),I have
some vital documents in my possession as his attorney to back you up
legally.since the bank have mandated me to present the next of kin to
my late client.
All necessary information will be related to you if I hear from you.
Contact me immediately for more details.
Yours truly,
El-rufai Ibrahim( Esq)
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Anti-fraud resources:
