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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Bianca Denis <biancadenis@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsbiancadenis@live.hk
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:53:33 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Beloved
Dear Beloved
I am Mrs.Bianca Denis from Republic of Ghana i am married to late Mr.Denis Minkah from Cote D'Ivoire. he was the executive accountant with the Ivory Coast ministry resources and energy. And during the period of our marriage we have only one son Andrew. Though this message might come to you as unexpected hence we have not meet before and the only means of communication is via internet and you are being contacted because of my condition here in the hospital in Cote D'Ivoire.
I was told by the doctor that I was poisoned and has got my liver damaged and can only live for some months. When my let husband was alive he deposited the sum of us$4.5 Million Dollars in a security company here in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoere.And was registered as a family valuable because it was in a trunk box, presently this fund is in the costody of security company firm.and I cannot think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my late husband business associate in order to inherit the money, I will issue you the vital document that will prove to you the present beneficiary of the fund in the custody of ther security company. I hope that you will not bettered my only son if i chang the document in your name and make you the present beneficiary. After all the transfer my son will relocate to your country, Please all I need from you is to take my only son as your son,give him good education. even when I am know more. this mail is very urgent.
All I need now is for you to Investor this Fund for my only son.If you can be of an assistance to us we will be pleased to offer you 20% Of the total fund.Please i want you to bear it in mind that the security company management did not no the content of the trunk box because my late husband deposited and registered it with them as family valuabales, please i want you to keep it as a secret between both of us.
God bless you and your family
Best regard
mrs Bianca Dennis
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