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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- 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.
- mrjohnson.abu@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: johnson_abu@aol.fr
Date: Mon, 22 May 2017 00:34:12 -0400
Subject: Dearest One, DO NOT FAIL TO REPLY MY PRIVATE
Email(mrjohnson.abu@yahoo.com)
Dearest One, DO NOTFAIL TO REPLY MY PRIVATE Email(mrjohnson.abu@yahoo.com)
I know that message come to you as a surprise. I am theAuditing and Accounting section managerwith Bank Of Africa BOA . I Hope thatyou will not expose or betray trustand confident which I am respose on youthe mutual benefit for families. I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sumof($6)million to your account within 10 or 14 banking days. Note that you will have 40% of theabove mentioned sum while 60% will be for me
The money has beendormant for years in our Bank without claim. I want the bank to release the money to you as the nearest person to ourdeceased customer,besides I don't want the money to go into government treasury as an abandoned fund. So is the reason why I am contacting you so that the bank can releasethe money to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer. Please I would like you to keep proposal as a top secret between me and you. Upon receipt of your reply,
I will give youfull details on how the business will be executed and also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned sumwhile 60% will be for me, if you agree to handle business with me reply immediately.DO NOTFAIL TO REPLY MY PRIVATE Email(mrjohnson.abu@yahoo.com)
(1.) your Name:
(2.) Country:
(3.)Phone Nb:
(4.)your passport:
(5.)yourOccupation:
DO NOT FAIL TOREPLY MY PRIVATE Email(mrjohnson.abu@yahoo.com)
Best Regards,
Mr Johnson Abu
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Anti-fraud resources:
