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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.
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22507255069 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- mohamed_akamchambers@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: happiness kamara <happinesskamara009@msn.com>
Reply-To: <happinesskamara@i.ua>
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:47:07 +0000
Subject: Dear Gentle Friend,
Dear Gentle Friend,
My name is Mrs.Happiness Kamara I am a dying woman who have decided to donate what
I have to you/church. I am 59 years old and I was diagnosed of cancer of about 2 years ago.
I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband
to you for the good work of God. I have asked God to forgive me and believe
he has because He is a merciful God.
I will be going in for an operation later this week.
I decided to WILL/donate the sum of (10 million Euro only.)
to you for the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege
and also for the assistance of the widows. At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to the fact that my relatives
(They had squandered the funds I gave them for this purpose before are around me
and my health status. I have adjusted my WILL and my lawyer is aware.
I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly,
and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
Contact my lawyer with this information:
Name: Mohammed Akam
His Telephone : +225 07 255 069
Email: mohamed_akamchambers@yahoo.fr
Tell him that I have WILLED (10 million Euro only) to you by quoting
my personal reference number yki/79/z0kl/33
and I have also notified him that I am WILLING that amount to you for a good work.
I know I don't know you but I have been directed to do this.
Thanks and God bless.
Regards,
Mrs. Happiness Kamara
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Anti-fraud resources:
