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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.
- 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:
- "million united states 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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- ibbibb00@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.IBRAHIM ABUYA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <idis.idis01@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:15:26 +0100
Subject: FROM DR.IBRAHIM ABUYA Dear Sir,
FROM DR.IBRAHIM ABUYA.
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
CONTINENTAL TRUST BANK COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC (C.T.B)
PRIVATE EMAIL: ibbibb00@sify.com
MY DEAR,
MY NAME IS DR.IBRAHIM ABUYA, A BANKER BY PROFESSION AND CURRENTLY A DIRECTOR WITH CONTINENTAL TRUST BANK COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC.
I GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IN MY SEARCH FOR A REPUTABLE AND RELIABLE PERSON TO HELP ME CLAIM THE SUM OF UD$15 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN OUR BANK BY ONE OF OUR CUSTOMER WHO DIE WITH THE WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN ON THE 21ST DAY OF APRIL 2000 IN A CAR CLASH ALONG NOVESSEL ROAD.
SINCE HIS DEATH NO ONE HAS COME UP AS HIS NEXT OF KIN AND ALL OUR EFFORTS TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY HAS PROVE ABORTIVE THAT WAS WHY I DECIDED TO SEE IF I CAN GET ANYBODY WHO HAS THE SAME SURNAME OR LAST NAME WITH HIM VIA INTERNET PREFERABLY SOME ONE OF THE SAME NATIONALITY WITH HIM WHICH I BELIEVE YOU HAVE ALL THE QUALITIES WE NEED .
WHY I AM CONTACTING YOU IS TO PRESENT YOU TO OUR BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO OUR DECEASED COSTUMER ENGER : J . C..,A DRILLING CONTRACTOR WITH SOME OIL COMPANIES HERE IN WEST AFRICA,BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SAME SURNAME/LAST NAME WITH HIM AND HE IS FROM THE SAME COUNTRY WITH YOU.SO IT WILL BE MORE ACCEPTABLE AND WISER TO PRESENT YOU THROUGH PAPER WORK TO THE BANK FOR THE CLAIM OF THE TOTAL FUND.
I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS THAT THE BANK MAY REQUEST FROM YOU AND FOLLOW UP THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR A/C AS AN INSIDER.
IT WILL INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT I AND MY PARTNERS HAS BEEN KEEPING OUR EYES ON THIS FUNDS AND HAS PUT THE ACCOUNT BLIND AND COVERED TO THE PUBLIC BY KEEPING THE ACCOUNT DORMANT TO ENABLE OUR PLANS FOR THE FUNDS TO COME THROUGH AND THIS IS THE TIME AND WE ARE HAPPY TO LOCATE YOU FOR THE PERFECTION OF THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK A/C TO BE GIVEN.
AS SOON AS I GET YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE I WILL UPDATE YOU ABOUT THE MODE OF DISBURSEMENT AND WE WILL ALSO NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INVESTING IN YOUR COUNTRY AS A WAY TO OF HELPING YOU PEOPLE WHO SUPPOSE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS FUNDS .
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR URGENT RESPONSE BY UPDATING ME WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION .
YOU CAN CONTACT ME ON THIS MY PRIVATE:
EMAIL: ibbibb00@sify.com
YOURS SPECIALLY
DR. IBRAHIM ABUYA.
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Anti-fraud resources:
