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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- "contact me immediately" (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: Richard Allen <richard@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: allengh@avoe.ge
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:00:52 +0100
Subject: Dear Sir/madam
Dear Sir/madam
Attention:
I sourced your email from a human resource profile database in the chamber, my
name is Mr. Richard Allen. Account officer to late Mr. David Clemetson from
United States of America who is a gold merchant Agent here in Ghana, a well
known Philanthropist before he died. He made a Will stating that $17Million
dollars (Seventeen million USD) should be given to a citizen of our choice
overseas as one of his own donation to humanity . I have made a random draw and
your e-mail address was picked as the beneficiary to this Will.I am particularly
interested in securing this money from the Bank because i have been given notice
instructing me been the account officer to late Mr. David Clemetson to produce
the beneficiary of this from the begining of this year 2010 else the money will
be credited to the Government treasury as per law here at the end of 2010. It is
my utmost desire to execute the Will of my client late Mr. David Clemetson since he
is no more alive, both wife Mitchel Clemetson, and daughter Angela Clemetson.
You are required to contact me immediately to enable me update you in details
about the process of this very golden oppurtunity. I urge you to mail me
immediately for further details bearing in mind that the Bank has given me a
date limit to produce the beneficiary, I await your urgent mail .
Meanwhile: I request you send the following information on your response:
1. Your Name in Full:
2. Your Address:
3. Your Occupation:
4. Your Nationality:
5. Your City
6.Your Mobile number:
8. Your Age:
9. Your Gender:
However, feel free to ask me any question which i promise to clarify you on any
doubts.
Mr. Richard Allen
Bill and Exchange Manager
Foreign Remittance Dept
MAB Ghana.
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