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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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Jean Kouadio" <mrsmithjohnny02@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: jean.kouadio2@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:10:34 -0100 (GMT+1)
Subject:
Dear friend,
Please do not be offended by this email but we need your urgent
assistance. My name is Jean Kouadio personal assistant to the ex-president
of Cote DVoire Laurent Gbagbo. As you know Mr. Laurent Gbagbo have been
removed from the presidency and under house arrest with his wife Simone
Gbagbo, sometime ago one of our trips to Europe with the ex-president
Gbagbo he made a secret deposit of large sum of money with a private
bullion company in Europe which is only known to me and Mr. Gbagbo. In the
heat of the crisis that led to the arrest of Laurent Gbagbo I manage to
escape to a neighboring Country with the deposit information check this
link for more info (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13298459) Can
you assist us to claim this money pending when I will be able to
Can you assist us to claim this money pending when I will be able to come
over? If you are interested in helping us kindly forward your full name,
full address, and your telephone for full details.
Sincerely,
Jean Kouadio
Re: Investment Proposal
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Anti-fraud resources:
