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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:
- "with absolute secrecy" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "cotonou" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Hafez Shaaban <richi.muv@att.net>
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:40:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: re:hello its me
Hello Dear,
My name is Hafez Shaaban a citizen of Libya . I ran into your contact with the help of my cousin killed during the last fight to capture Sirte that led to death of Ghadafi. Both of us were fighting for Ghadafi against the NTC during the last fight that led to the capture of and murder of leader Ghadafi.
Prior to my cousin's death, He worked as the recuritment channel and payment of foreign fighter for Gadafi in West Africa. I have to find my ways here and i am presently living in my cousin's secret House in cotonou Benin after we lost to the NTC.As a result of the situation in Libya and death of Ghadafi, I have to leave Libya for Cotonou Benin Republic to save my life . This information should be kept with absolute secrecy as i do not want anyone to know my present location.
On my reaching here in cotonou, i have discovered that my late Cousine has made deposit of the sum of US$20.5 Million for a short period of time which he wanted to use for payment to Mercinary fighters and for purchase of weapons for Ghadafi. I have found also copies of other transactions and purchases which i will not like to disclose for now. I am now writing you as a friend to my cousine to help me receive this money for investment in your country. Please in your return emails, i will need details of the business and what i should expect.
The Opposition government is trying to freeze all the account of most people that worked for Ghadafi and this might be included if we fail to do the necessary. Please get back to me through this email hafezshaaban69@e-mail.ua as soon as possible so that we can work it out. Send me your cell phone number so that I can call you at my convenient.
Salam
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