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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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
- mrbrightapp@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Bright Appiah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrbrighticb6@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:17:41 -0700
Subject: Dear Friend (27/04/2011)..
Dear Friend,
You may be surprised to receive this offer since we have no previous communications. I write to solicit your assistance in a funds transfer deal involving US$10.5M.
This fund accrued as undeclared profit made last year by this branch of the International Commercial Bank which I head.
My head office here in Accra-Ghana has already approved my Management Profitability Report for the year 2008/9 which further secures this fund.
This amount of US$ 10,500,000.00 currently floats on a Non-Investment Account without a beneficiary.
Upon your response, I will configure your name on the database of the entire International Commercial Bank as holder of the Non-Investment Account housing the funds. I will then guide you on how to apply to my head office for the Account Closure/ bank-to-bank remittance of the funds to your designated bank account.
If you concur with this proposal, I intend for you to retain 40% of the funds while 60% shall be for me.
Please feel free to contact me via my private email mrbrightapp@aol.com
Sincerely,
Bright Appiah
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Anti-fraud resources:
