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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:
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "your urgent reply" (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: "Derek Jones" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <snadiane@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2014 03:18:25 +0800
Subject: FUND TRANSFER PARTNER NEEDED 21
Greetings,
My name is Derek Jones; I am the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Rand Merchants Bank here in JOHANNESBURG South Africa. There is an account that has not been operational for the past Ten years as the owner died leaving nobody as the next of kin.
My bank shall confiscate the amount in the account by the end of first quarter of 2014 if I am not able to track anyone that knows the beneficiary. I want to present you as someone that is known by the beneficiary so that this money would be paid to you; then you will be compensated with 40%. If you are interested, I will furnish you with more details on how this can materialize within a couple of days.
The amount is US$15.5Million (Fifteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) all I need from you now is your full information as listed below;
Note the following;
1. Your Full Name and contact address cell phone and fax numbers is urgently needed
2. Your percentage for rendering assistance is 30% of the total sum
3. An account were the money will be lodge will provided by you
Please get back to me immediately on this so that we act fast and get the money over to you. I contacted you (a stranger) because I cannot do this with someone that is related to me or any body from my country to avoid suspicions from my bank.
I await your urgent reply.
Best regards,
Derek Neil Prout-Jones
Chief Financial Officer and Director
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Anti-fraud resources:
