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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.
- 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.
- ben06@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: HEIEN BENJAMIN <heien.benjamin3@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: heien_ben06@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:25:42 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Beloved one
Beloved one
I am Miss Heien Benjamin the only child of Mr & Mrs Patric Benjamin My father was a reputable busnness man who dellt on Cocoa and Gold .It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously after his return from a business trips abroad on 12th.February 2006.Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been masterminded by his uncle who travelled with him at that time. Before his final breath in the hospital, he disclosed to me in confidence of the sum of $8.5Million (Eight million five hundred thousand U.S.Dollars) he deposited in a bank here in Cote D'Ivoire.
Presently, this fund is being secured in the custody of the bank .I am contacting you for your sincere assistance to transfer this fund on my behalf and invest it properly in your country while I then come over to be with you and continue my education.
For your sincere efforts in helping me to safe-keep the fund till when I will come over to your country to meet with you, I have resolved to give you 15%. You will also benefit in any investment established with my own part if you will be capable of investing this fund on my behalf as I will continue my education as soon as I relocate to meet with you and i am promise to love you as long as you are honest and kind.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you further information vital for this transaction such as the contact of the bank. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another person for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to receive your reply in this my email
(Heien ben06@yahoo.co.jp)
Your's faithfully,
Miss Heien Benjamin
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