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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)
- "liberia" (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: Natacha Wilson <miss-natacha5@msn.com>
Reply-To: <natacha_wilsion01@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2012 11:01:58 +0000
Subject: From Natacha Wilson
>From Natacha WilsonAbidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Please I want to confide in you because of the situation and difficult condition that i now find myself. I am Natacha Wilson from Liberia the only child of late Mr. George Wilson, who served as a director in the National Gold Council of Liberia and later went into private business upon retirement. He was a reputable Gold merchant who operated both in Liberia and the African Coast. He later died in a hospital in our neighboring country of Cote d' Ivoire from the gunshot wounds that he sustained in the hands of the rebels during the Civil war that took place in our country. But before his death, he told me that he has the sum of Four Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars (4,400,000.00) deposited in a bank here in our neighboring country of Cote d'Ivoire. He advised me to look for a foreigner in any country of my choice who will be ready to help me to transfer and invest this money wisely. I am now seeking your assistance in getting this transferred out and be used for investment in any profitable business based on your advice and i willing and ready to give you 15% of the total money for your contributions and assistance to me in getting this money transferred. Thanks and i wait your response. Yours Obediently,Natacha Wilson
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Anti-fraud resources:
