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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: martinr018 <martinr018@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 17:34:41 +0800
Subject: I am sure that we never mate before
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Consideration:
Dear, Sir
My name is Martins Ranketu, I got your contact through my internet search
for an assistant from you. I am the son to Late Mr. Felix Ranketu…Sir
before the late of my daddy on the 12/9/2008 when I was still at the age of
sixteen years, my daddy deposited with my name the sum of twenty two
million US dollar with some gold appreciated 985,000.00 USD in a security
company for himself before the discharge of his duty as a ship captain and
later join our government as senator and his departed from me…
I did not get intoxicated to write but I write you to help me to receive
the fund and the gold out for me from the security company since I have no
money to pay the release charge…that’s my reason of contacting you and I
believe in the word of my daddy before he died…Says that people from your
place is honesty and you will also help me and my little sister to come
over to your place since our mummy has decided to get married to another
man who were trying to claim and to use our inheritance to train his own
family…please help me to reply before it become late from the day the
security company has given to me to take the save off from there company….i
an my sister has agreed that when you help us,25% of the total fund will be
for you and we will give to sum gold out from all…I will be looking forward
to hear from you soonest as i know the security company can help you get
across the hole treasures to your place.
Thanks
Yours truly,
Martins Ranketu
+2347084639645
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Anti-fraud resources:
