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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
- hamza.fariza17@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Christopher Benson <christopherbenson177@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2016 06:53:20 +0000
Subject: Hello Dear Friend
My name is Mrs. Fariza Hamza a nationality of Kuwait. I am married to late Dr. Mahmud Hamza who worked with Kuwait embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died in the year Octorber 2010. We were married for twenty years with a child. He died after a the illness that lasted for long four days. Before his death we were both a good Muslim. When my late husband was alive we deposited the sum of US$5,500,000. with one of good banks here in Cote d'Ivoire. Presently, this money is still with the bank. I have been diagnose with Esophageal cancer , Recently my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next three months due to my cancer Problem. Having known my condition I decided to donate this Fund to a Muslim individual That will utilize this money the way I am going to Instruct here in.
Our daughter is just 17 year old now and been grow up in Africa, he have low mentality and my husband's relatives are not Muslim and I don't want my family hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. I am presently placed on dialysis check up and will not need telephone communication most of the time because of my heath and the presents of my husband's relatives around me always. They have sold most of my husband's property I don't want a situation where this money will be used in any way that those not concern the will of Allah. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going to. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Allah. I do not want your telephone communication in this regard because of my health because of the presence of my family relatives around me always. I don't want any of my husband family relatives to receive this money.
Please do contact me on (hamza.fariza17@gmail.com) for more details.
Remain blessed
Yours Mrs. Fariza
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