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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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- annedama2015@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: aadams@kerrwil.com
Reply-To: annedama2015@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2018 05:55:52 -0600
Subject: hello
My Dear ,
My name is Miss Anne Dama. I am a 19 years old girl from Abidjan, Cote
divoire here in west africa.I got your contact from the internet when i
was looking for one who will help me in recieving my inheritance in his
or her account. I have four million seven hundred thousand united
states dollars(US4,700,000.00) which my late father deposited in a bank
here with me as the next of kin. I cannot claim the money myself because
i am not upto the age of 25 which my late father and the bank agreed. I
was adviced by the bank that i can have this money release to me at this
my age now only through a guardian.So i want you to stand as my guardian
and claim the money for me. Once the money is transfered to you, i will
come over to your country for resettlement and you will help me in
investing the money. Also I will compensate you after the transfer.
Please i want to know your mind today, so that i will know what to tell
the bank.
Miss Anne Dama
NB. Attached to this message is the document my late father gave me
concerning the money in the bank. Please go through it and reply me now.
Also reply me on annedama2015@gmail.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
