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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Mohamed Musa <mrmohamedmu@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrmohamedmu75@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:13:46 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS
 My Name is Mr. Mohamed Musa  I am a banker by profession here in Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso.BANK OF AFRICAÂ
I will like you to help me in receiveing This fund $27.200 million into your Bank Account  belongs to our foreign customer who died along with his entire family so many years ago. No one to ask for the fund anymore. If you are interested to assist me to get an account were the fund will transfer into,I am particularly interested in securing this money from the Bank. Because they have issued a notice instructing me for the final verification as the accountant. It is my utmost desire to execute the fund of our  late customer since he is no more alive, both his entire family died. If you are interested to assist me, you are required to contact me immediately to start the documentation process with the help of a legal practitioner.I urge you to contact me immediately for further details bearing in
mind that the Bank has given us a date limit, please act fast. I await your urgent response. Meanwhile I request on your return mail, kindly send me your data's information’s: Â
Â
Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
West Africa
Mr. Mohamed Musa
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Anti-fraud resources:
