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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:
- "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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Hussien Ahmed" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hussien_ahmed1958@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:13:28 +0200
Subject: Please read .It might be of interest to you.
Attention.Sir/Madam,
I am sorry if the content of this mail offends your moral values.But I would please like you to take your time to read,think and get back to me regarding the content of my mail.
My names are Mr Hussien Ahmed.I am an attorney at law.I am From Malaysia.I have a client.A foreigner who lived and worked here in Malaysia as a contractor and a business man for Twenty years.He died along side with his entire family member on the 26 December of 2004 at the Tsunami disaster that happened in Indonesia while on a Christmas vacation. Since his death no one has ever surfaced or declared to be a member of his family.
I have personally carried out a search with out any one knowing it with the little information I have about him to see if I can locate any of his close relations.But all my effort has proved unsuccessful. Hence I have on my own decided to carry out a private search using his last name to see if there will be any one his last name will tally with that of his own.
It was in cause of search that I found your last name tallying with that of his own.Once I have decided to contact you to ask for your urgent co-operation to re-profile the sum of $5.800,000.00 united state dollars he left with the bank here to your name as his next of kin. I know you might have the fear that this may bring a very big problem to you.But Let me assure you there will never ever be any problem for you in this transaction once I am concerned.This is because not only that you bear the same last name with him.But of the fact that I am the only one with the legal right to attest whom his true next of kin is and can also approve payment of this money to any one to the bank.Been his personal financial attorney while he was alive.
Upon the filing of claim of this money to the bank with your information as his next of kin,the transfer and the receipt of this money in any of your designated bank account.I will fly down to your country to meet with you for the sharing of this money.Which will be on a mutual percentage of 50% for you and 50% for me.
Please kindly let me know your interest regarding the content of my mail.then I will let you know the step we are going to follow to actualize this business.
Regards,
Mr.Hussien Ahmed.
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