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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:
- ",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)
- "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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Ayesha Hussein" <contact@gaosachdanang.com>
Reply-To: info@kendelconstruction.com
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 2020 19:37:58 +0000
Subject: Greetings
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Greetings
How are you doing today hope I met you in good health?
My name is Ayesha Hussein; I work with the Audit Department Of a Bank
here in my country. I need your partnership in a funds transfer process
involving an unclaimed deposit USD$41,500,000.00 All efforts to trace
any living relative of the deceased customer did not yield any positive
result. I can use my office to present you as Next Of Kin to the
deceased and have the funds transferred for our mutual benefit. There
are no risks whatsoever attached. I will personally oversee the process
of the transfer of funds from the bank to your account.
Get back to me immediately for more details.
Sincerely;
Mrs.Ayesha Hussein
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Anti-fraud resources:
