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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "trunk box" (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 american 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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "ella snizore" <ellasnizore@cantv.net>
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2009 01:35:15 -0430
Subject: FROM MADAM ELLA.
Hello,
I am Madam Ella Snizore from Philippines, widow to the late
former minister of finance in Philippine who died on 15th of May 2006. I
inherited a total sum of $21.5 Million American dollars from my late
husband, the money was concealed in a metallic trunk box and was deposited
with a security and finance company in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire, that was
because I needed a maximum security/safety of my consignment and no body
nor government organization can trace the where about of the money until I
am ready and prepare to claim it. but the Security company didn't know the
real content of the box, because it was deposited as a family
valuables.
My main purpose of sending you this mail is because
of the way I found you and perhaps trustworthy to give you this priority of
shipping the box of money to any address that you think is very secure and
save in your country for onward lodgement your account for the purpose of
future investment with your percentage of which we shall chat on
soon.
I will send you the Authorization Certificate to call
them in my next mail which is the Certificate of deposit that they gave me
on the very day when the box of money was
deposited under their company.
I give thanks immensely for your co-operation as I look forward to hear from you soon for quick conclusion of
this transaction.
best regards,
Madam Ella
Snizore.
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Anti-fraud resources:
