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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:
- "your humble assistance" (a common phrase found 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: "amandakobo@hotmail.fr" <amandakobo@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: amanda.kobo@hotmail.fr
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 11:41:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Partner
Dear Partner
It is my pleasure to write to you, which I believe will be a surprise, as we are both completely strangers. My name is Amanda Kobo 19"years old from Republic of Sudan.
I am seeking your humble assistance to invest the sum of $10,500.000.00 dollars deposited with a bank in Ivoiry Coast under supervision of my late father before he died untimely death.
My uncles has claim other properties of my father and threatening to kill me after i find out that they are the people who killed my father. I am alone in a totally strange country without parents, relatives or any body to care for me.
This deposit is my only hope of survival as i have decide to face life with full reality.
I will offer 15% of the total sum for investment assistance.
Contact me for more information.
Yours sincerely,
Amanda Kobo
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Anti-fraud resources:
