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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- suzzamub@mail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Suzanne Hosni Mubarak" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <suzzamub@mail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2017 12:46:46 +0100
Subject: Investment Manager Needed
Mrs. Suzanne Hosni Mubarak
Resident Address: Kamal El Din One St.
Garden City, Cairo Egypt.
Email: suzzamub@mail.com
Dear Sir/Madam
I would like to introduce myself to you. I am Suzanne Mubarak married to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. I decided to contact you for important matters. My husband is very ill and also has problem with the new administration that resulted our family assets being frozen.
I will need your assistance to receive my reserved fund for safe keeping and reinvestment into lucrative business in your country.
If you are in interested to act as my investment representative, I shall inform my account officer that you are my new foreign investment partner and I will be offering you 30% share from the principal value before investment $150,000,000:00 USD (One Hundred and Fifty Million United State Dollars), until such time my son Alaan shall come to your country for other arrangements.
The fund is deposited outside my country. Please kindly notify me if you are able to render this service with trust because I have made inquiring in your country and l was advised that l must employ services of local Citizen in your country to be my representative. Please should you decide to represent my investment interest I can be reach through my private email suzzamub@mail.com
Regards,
Mrs. Suzanne Hosni Mubarak
Email: suzzamub@mail.com
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