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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 united state 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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "peterodinma@doda.uz" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Peter Odinma" <test@zjnu.net>
Reply-To: <peterodinma@doda.uz>
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2011 02:24:16 -0500
Subject: Cote D'Ivoire
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Peter Odinma from the Republic of Cote D’ Voire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa Region. I am writing this mail to
inform you of the development in my country and how you can be of assistance to me. Recently a general election was conducted
in the country and Mr. Quattara won the election but the incumbent President Mr. Gbagbo refused to hand over power to the
proclaimed winner of the election. As a result of this development,there is political crisis in the country and so many
embassies began to close down their offices and fleeing out of the country for safety. I am attached to the Diplomatic
Offshore Finance Company in the country and when this problem started,we successfully release the sum of Eighteen Million
United State Dollars ($18M.USD) to Europe through diplomatic means. This amount was for unpaid contracts executed by some
foreigners. This amount is presently lying in a corresponding security company in Europe.
All I am requesting from you is to present yourself as one of the foreign contractors and a beneficiary of the fund at the
security company in Europe to claim the said fund. I want to use this medium equally to inform you that there is no risk
attached in this transaction as long as you can keep this transaction top secret at all times. If you are interested in this
transaction as I know you will definitely be, please do reply this mail immediately so as to start the necessary documentation
in your favour. I will also give you a pin code number which will be required from you by the security company. All the
security company will need from you is the pin code number which will not be released to you until I am fully satisfied that
you are serious in the transaction. You should also bear in mind that I will be in Europe as soon as the transaction is
concluded and the money released to you for disbursement. You will be entitled to certain percentage of the fund as will be
agreed upon by all parties involved.
I am looking forwarding to hearing from you and please feel very free to ask me any question you think that will help you to
understand this transaction better. Reply to email address: peterodinma@doda.uz
Yours truly,
Mr. Peter Odinma
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