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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million 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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- shebang360@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Sheriff Bangura" (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:05:45 +0200
Subject: I NEED AN URGENT REPLY
Dear Friend
My name is Sheriff Bangura working with Diplomatic securities and finance company in Switzerland, our company have assisted some of the African leaders and politicians to move their money and Diamond through our special arrangements out of Africa, Some of these deposits where not claimed as results of deaths or due to their government restrictions, therefore some deposit were sent to suspense ware house by the Board of Directors of our company. Presently there is an unclaimed one deposited by the Republic of Guinean late President Mr. Lansana Conte who died on 24 December 2008. If you want to be sure of this please read more about the head of state and his country of origin. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7800163.stm
As an insider, I succeeded in presenting my company with evidence that the deposit of late Mr. Conte were among those sent to suspense ware house, for that I perfected arrangements and smuggled out the consignments containing 30million Dollars out of Switzerland and presently is deposited it in a private security vault in Spain.
My reason of written you is to solicit for a reliable partner whom I can trust to receive the consignment as my next of kin and beneficiary. Please If you are truly disposed and capable of handling this transaction from your end in a confidential manner contact me through this private mail address: (shebang360@gmail.com) for more details and how to proceed
Sincerely
Sheriff Bangura
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Anti-fraud resources:
