419 scam: "Mr.Patrick Joseph" <mrpatrickjo08@gmail.com> Hoping to hear from you as soon as possible.

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand u.s 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)
- "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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Patrick Joseph" <mrpatrickjo08@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2020 02:28:16 -0700
Subject: Hoping to hear from you as soon as possible.

Greetings My Dear Friend,

It's my pleasure to write you, how are you together with your family?
I hope all is well. Considering the fact I did not know you in person
or even have seen you before but due to the true revelation that I
should share this lucrative opportunity with you, I have no choice
other than to contact you. So, kindly consider this message essential
and confidential. first and foremost I have to introduce myself to you
I am Mr. Patrick Joseph, from Burkina Faso in west Africa, the Audit
and Account Manager of Africa Development Bank (ADB) in Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso west Africa. I had the intent to contact you over
transfer of fund worth the sum of Six million two hundred thousand u.s
dollars. (Us$6.2million) for the betterment of our life, I agree that
40% of the total amount will be for you and 60% for me.

I need your assurance of trust that you will not deny me my share once
the fund is credited to your personal bank account, kindly state your
interest by replying immediately and i shall furnish you with details
and procedures preceding the transaction. Make sure you keep this
transaction as top secret and make it confidential till we receive the
fund into your bank account that you will provide to our bank. Don' t
disclose it to any body, because the secret of this transaction is as
well as the success of it.

Thanks,
Mr. Patrick Joseph.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam