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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:
- "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)
- "dioflaurent@live.com" (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: "MASTER LAURENT DIOF" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dioflaurent@live.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:29:34 -0800
Subject: INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE
Dearest.
Greetings, I am Master Laurent Diof the only son of late Mr and Mrs Steven Diof.
I am currently living in a church camp here in cote d' Ivoire West Africa,I have some funds I inherited from my late loving father Mr Steven Diof that was killed during the war that just finished here.
The amount is US$10.500,000.00 which he deposited in a bank here and I need an honest and trustworthy person that can help me take this fund out of the bank so that i can come and continue my studies
over there in your country and also you help me invest it in a business adviced by you and 25% out of the total funds will be for your compensation for doing this work of God.
God will bless you as you extend your helpy hand to the needy.I await your mail now so i can explain better to you.You can email me on dioflaurent@live.com
Laurent Diof
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Anti-fraud resources:
