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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:
- "into your nominated bank account" (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)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "kumasik@yahoo.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "PLEASE ASSIST ME;" <info-mplaza@4u.com.gh>
Reply-To: johnpaul00g@yahoo.cn
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 04:08:19 -0000
Subject: PLEASE ASSIST ME;
My name is John Ikumasi, a banker by profession and currently a Director
of Finance Auditing and Accounting Unit in my Bank, which the name will be
giving to you as soon as you respond for security reason.
I got your name and address in my search for a reputable and reliable
person to help me claim the sum of US$15.6 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS,
deposited in our bank by one of our customer who died with his wife and
two children on the 21st day of April 2001 in car clash along Tema express
road.
Since his death no one has come up as his next of kin and all our efforts
to locate any member of his immediate family has proved abortive that was
why I decided to see if I can get anybody who has the same surname or last
name with him via Internet preferably some one of the same nationality
with him which I believe you have all the qualities we need.
I am contacting you to present you to our bank as the next of kin to the
deceased customer. He was drilling contractor with some oil companies here
in West Africa, also because you have the same surname/last name with him.
So it will be more acceptable and wiser to present you through paper work
to the bank for claim of the total fund.
I will give you all the necessary requirements that the bank may request
from you and follow up the transfer of the fund into your account as an
insider. It will interest you to know that I and my partners has been
keeping the account dormant to enable our plans for the funds to come
through and this is the time and we are happy to locate you for the
perfection of the transfer of the fund into your nominated Bank Account to
be given.
I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your wish in this
deal through my email address:kumasik@yahoo.cn
Looking forward to your urgent response. Provide your direct contact phone
number for easier communication.
Yours sincerely
Mr.John Ikumasi.
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