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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: Tony Osagie <toni_osagie2000@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 06:50:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: LIBYA UPRISING
Greetings to you,i am writing on behalf of Moussa Kossa,Foreign Minister to Libya and defected to London for assylum seeking.I have a business proposition for you concerning a huge amount of money in american dollars that i will like you to help me out with.I know that you do not know me,just that i do not want the money to fall into the hands of Gadafhi and his men so that it will not be used in buying of arms and hiring of mercenaries in
killing the people of Libya.
This transaction should be made confidential and i am assuring that you will be getting 20% and you will be given detailed information about the total amount and how the transaction will go.Thanks for your understanding.
Regards,
Moussa Kossa
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Anti-fraud resources:
