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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:
- "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)
- "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Jennifer Ndayezalu <jeniferdayezalu@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Jennifer Ndayezalu <jeniferndayezalu@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2013 02:23:36 -0800 (PST)
Subject: 05/11/2013
Â
My name is Ms Jennifer Ndayezalu,
Hello Dear,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which my Son and I intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe, one has to risk confiding in someone to succeed sometimes in life.
There is this amount of Six million five hundred thousand U.S dollars($6.500,000.00) which my late Husband kept for us with a bank here in Cote d'Ivoire before his death.
Now my son and I have decided to invest these money anywhere safe enough outside our Country for my son’s study and future. We want you to transfer and invest this fund in any lucrative business were tax will not take much tools. If you can be of an assistance and honest to us we will be pleased to offer to you 10% of the fund while you manage the investment for us. It is very urgent and I await your immediate response.
Sincerely yours,
Madam Jennifer Ndayezalu
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Anti-fraud resources:
