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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.
- 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- musa995082@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Daniel Amah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dddd.amah@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2014 09:59:18 -0800
Subject: A Transaction for Mutual Benefit ... I Need Your Help
Hello Friend,
Cordial Greeting to you.
I am Mr ALI MUSA, presently working with International Commercial Bank ICB Ghana. I am sending you this brief mail just to seek your interest and honest partnership to transfer into your Bank Account the sum of Seven Million United States Dollars ($7.million) which was deposited in the Bank here by a Foreign customer before his accidental death some years ago.
Due to the banking law and regulation of 1985, sub section18d page 103 chapter 11 of constitution governing all banking policy in Ghana, and in accordance to the banking decree 003 sub section 45 which stated that any deposited fund which remain unclaimed after the existing period of years will be confiscated by the national treasury department as unclaimed fund .
I will send you more details about this deal and the procedures to follow when I receive a positive response from you. Reply to my private email address: musa995082@gmail.com
Regards
Musa.
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Anti-fraud resources:
