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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)
- "huge deposit" (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)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Fredrick Mbong." <info@jtgc.cn>
Reply-To: <fredrickmbong300@gala.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:22:16 +0100
Subject: Prospective Partners.
Dear Friend ,
My name is Fredrick Mbong, a banker based in Ghana.I am reaching out to
you in respect of an opportunity that will be beneficial to both of us. I
want you and I to make some fortune out of a situation that I am obviously left
with no other better option. I apologize if contacting you through this medium
does not suit your business or personal ethics. Though I have not considered
this medium to be the best manner to have approached you on this issue being
that the internet has been greatly abused over the recent years and is much
unsecured for information of vital importance. I have decided to take
the chance seeing that no other means could have been faster and more
efficient than the e-mail. I write to you irrespective of the fact that we do not
know ourselves. I am soliciting your assistance in repatriating the funds
left behind by my late client before it is declared unserviceable by the Bank
where the huge deposit is lodged.
My Client who is an American died couple of years ago and every attempt
to trace any member of his extended family has proved unsuccessful as he
died with his wife and only daughter Karin in a fatal auto crash. Do note that
your identity or country of origin does not matter. I will simply present you
as my client's business partner and the fund was meant for a joint venture
between you and my late client. I will give you more information upon your
response.
If this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly email your following
information to me: (1). Private Telephone and fax numbers. (2). Your postal/residential
address. (3). Identification. (4) Occupation.
I humbly look forward to your soonest response.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Fredrick Mbong.
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Anti-fraud resources:
