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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: issa ahmed <issaahmed22209@msn.com>
Reply-To: <issa_ahmed10@inMail24.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:53:49 +0000
Subject: Compliments of the season
Compliments of the season
forgive my indignation if this message comes to you as a surprise and may offend your personality for contacting you waithout your prior consent and writing through this channel. I got your contact from the professional data base found in the internet yahoo tourist search. When I was searching for a foreign reliable partner. I assured of your capability and reliability to champion this business opportunity.
After series of prayers/fasting. I was divinely directed to contact you among other names found in the data base yahoo tourist search. I believe that god has a way of helping who is in need.
My name is Mr Issa Ahmed the bill and exchange (assistant) manager of the bank of Africa Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. Do not take this transaction to be a joke because it is my life.
Dear friend,
I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise. I am the bill and exchange manager in bank of Africa . I hope that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $22.3million immediately to your account. The money has been dormant for many years in our bank here without any body coming for the claim.
So get back to me as soon as possible.
For more details you can call me +226) 78 68 65 92
Thanks
Mr Issa Ahmed
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Anti-fraud resources:
