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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:
- ",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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22505768008 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: Miss Linda Akeem <kklinda2005@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: kkklinda2005@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2011 02:02:29 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: From Miss LINDA AKEEM
>From Miss LINDA AKEEM
REVERAL GOLF COCODY.
Dearest Respected
Complement of the season. I am Miss LINDA AKEEM . I am from Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire. I deemed it necessary to disclose my present situation to you if you may be of any assistance.
The daughter of the late MR. ROBERT AKEEM,the former Interior Minister, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire who served with the regime of the ousted President. My late father was among the patriots who were with the former president in the presidential residence before it was attacked by the rebels fighting for the new president.
I have contacted you if you may be willing and interested to help me receive this fund sum $7,500,000.00 in your account and use it for estate.
I am desperately in need of your assistance and I have summoned up courage to contact you being that I found you as a person that can be honest,trusted.
>From your beloved sister,
MISS LINDA AKEEM.
+225 05 76 80 08
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Anti-fraud resources:
