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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:
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Tatiana Masri" (may be fake)
Reply-To: < tatiana_masri1@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2013 23:41:18 +0300
Subject: Compliments of the Season
Compliments of the Season
I believe you can come to my assistance after hearing about my situation.
It is highly regrettable writing to you now not minding the circumstances that pervaded around me here in Abidjan since we do not know before.
I am Miss Tatiana Masri, I am the only daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Roris Masri, My late father was owner of pineapple and banana plantations farms including fish farms too here in Cote D'Ivoire before he passed away some months ago, I lost my mother when I was a child through cancer illness as my late father told me and since then my father took me so special as I am motherless and her only child.
Before the death of my father, He told me that he has a sum of Fifteen Million United States Dollars which he lodged in a safe custody here in Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire, and that he used my name as the next of kin to the deposit of the money.
He explained to me that he was poisoned by his partners in one of they outing and that I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I can move this money and use it for investment purpose and also advised to endeavor to continue my studies.
He warned me to be very careful and never associate with his partners that I should be far away from them and I should not allow them to know what ever I am doing.
Please, I am honorably asking for your wonderful assistance in move this money out of this country to your position in your country and I am ready to offer you ten percent of the total sum for your help and kindness to me.
I will be very happy to hear from you
Looking forward to your reply
Best regards
Yours sincerely
Miss Tatiana Masri
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