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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "transferred into your bank account" (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 next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Usman Abu <us.abu112@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2021 06:04:52 -0700
Subject: FROM Mr USMAN ABU
FROM Mr USMAN ABU
BILLS AND EXCHANGE MANAGER,
In BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A)
Ouagadougou Burkina Faso, IN WEST AFRCA
Please i want you to read this later very carefully and please do not
joke with this message. I am Mr USMAN ABU the bill and exchange
manager in the boa bank of Africa Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.
In my department, I found the deposited fund amounted ($18.5 million)
one of my bank clients who died Along with his entire family in air
crash, On July 31 2000 please go through the
website.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/859479.stm
Can you be able and capable to assist me provide your bank account
where this $18.5 million will transfer into? Because I don’t want the
money to go into our bank treasury account as an unclaimed fund, so
this is the reason why I contacted you so that our bank will release
this money to you as the nest of kin to the deceased customer. Please
I would like you to keep this proposal as top secret.
I shall give you 40% of the total fund as soon as this $18.5 million
transferred into your bank account and I shall visit you in your
country for the sharing of the funds.
>From banking experience it will take up to ( 7 ) working days to
conclude this transfer. I want you to also know that this transaction
will involve a little expense which will be shared among both of us.
Your Urgent response is needed immediately to enable me to send to you
application later which you have to fill and apply to the bank for the
transfer of the $18.5 million USA dollars. Before I send to you the
application later, you have to Fill this form bellow and resend it
back to me immediately for more trust.
Your Name....
Your home addresses ....
Your country ....
Your city ....
Your home telephone ....
Your private telephone ....
Your age ....
Your occupation ....
Your religion…
Your international passport or ID card ....
Thanks and my regards to your family.
Mr USMAN ABU
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