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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "huge amount of money" (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 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.
- response.samm.jonah2010@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "JONAH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <samm.jonah2010@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2011 06:05:35 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS
My Dear,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe one has to risk confidence to succeed sometimes in life.
My Name is Dr. Sam Jonah, a Ghanaian, and a Politician. There's this huge amount of Money valued the sum of Ten MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSANDS DOLLARS ($10.500.000.00) which I deposited with a Bank here
in Ghana. I have decided to invest it in your country or anywhere safe enough outside Africa through your direction for security and political reasons.
I want you to assist me stand as the Beneficiary of the Funds while the Bank will release/transfer the Funds into your care for my investment purposes on these areas: Telecommunication, transportation,
industries and five star hotels. This is because of my Personality andif you can be of any assistance to me I will be pleased to reimburse you awesomely with %20 of the Funds and also made you by director of
any of these Companies where these funds will be invests on AND I CURRENTHY HAVE 50KG OF AU GOLD DUST AND BAR IF YOU ARE INTERESTED
I await your soonest response.samm.jonah2010@gmail.com
Respectfully yours,
Dr. Sam Jonah.
My Mobile: +233-201593804
ABOUT ME.http://news.peacefmonline.com/education/201007/65293.php
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Anti-fraud resources:
