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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:
- "consignment " (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss Affoue Affoue" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nogbouaffoue1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2020 17:07:06 -0600
Subject: Please I need your help or they will kill me here
Hello dear beloved one,
Please I need your help or they will kill me here.
I am Miss Affoue Affoue, from West Africa. Please I am seeking for your attention to assist me in transferring my late father's fund $1.5 million dollars your country to enable me join you after this fund is delivered to you through the delivery company where by late father deposited the fund in a consignment there in the delivery company here in my country. It is Deposited by My late father but my uncle is a total trait to my life. My late father is an exporter of Cocoa in our country, but he died in a motor accident with my mother, Please I want you to help me invest my late father's fund into a profitable business in your country like REAL ESTATE / INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES etc. If you agree we shall both share the total annual profit. I will give you More details and my photo in your next mail.
Please I am waiting for your mail to help me out, if not my wicked uncle will kill me
Thanks and God bless you.
Miss Affoue N.
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Anti-fraud resources:
