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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million 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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Mark Jerry <markjerry050@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 19:50:19 +0000
Subject: 2014 GOOD NEWS.
REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE
Mr. Mark Jerry.
Greetings from Ghana,
This message might meet you in (utmost surprise) however; it’s just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction.
I am a banker by profession from Ghana Accra and currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the bank.
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over funds ($4.450 million dollars) and also 45kg of gold asset will be released to you as a relative of Our bank deceased customer late Mr.David Van Buskirk & Mrs. Betty Van Buskirk,from San Diego who died on (Egypt Air Flight 990) along with his family on a plane crash below: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm
Hence I am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 50/50 as a partner.
If you agree to my business proposal, further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your return mail.
Respectfully,
Yours
Mr. Mark Jerry.
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Anti-fraud resources:
