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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
- "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)
- "abuja" (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.
- 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.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- rimiikimi@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: RIMI IKIMI <rimiikimi@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:00:25 -1200
Subject:
--
SENT FROM;
CHIEF RIMI IKIMI
10,NAHC ROAD.
NAHC ZONE.
ABUJA/NIGERIA.
PH:+234 8099 156 270
Dear,
RE;(THE TRANSFER OF SEVENTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS INTO YOUR
BANK ACCOUNT)
I am CHIEF RIMI IKIMI a top official with the Nigerian Aviation Holdings
Corporation(NAHC) and i want to transfer US$17million into your bank
account.The fund was a result of a contract which was given to our
corporation and now the contractor has been paid fully and the contract
completed,i am now left with the balance of US$17million which i want to
transfer to your country for my own use.
The fund will be shared together like this 35% for you and 55% for me
and the remaining 10% will be for expenses in the transaction process.
I want your trust and honesty in this transaction and i will arrive to
your country 6days after the fund is transferred into your bank account
safely and i would like you to suggest a business which will be good to
do in your country and keep this transaction confidential to avoid
problem because i am still in service with the corporation and none of
my cooleagues knows about the fund.I want to invest the fund in your
country and i am now waiting to hear you.Contact me at:
rimiikimi@hotmail.com
Thanks for your cooperation.
Chief Rimi B.Ikimi
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Anti-fraud resources:
