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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Fatu Abdullah <fatugolden@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:25:13 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Please help me
Dear Friend,
I am Ms Fatu Abdullah, a young orphan woman of about 26 years. I am contacting you for assistance to save my life and help me to receive the transfer of (USD$5.2 Million Dollars)in your country as my guardian.
Since the sudden assasination of my parent during the political war in my country 3 years ago I have became vulnerable to dangers from their killers and political opponents and their militants. I was in Togo schooling before their death was announced to me and I have to came back home to see what I can do for them.
Unfortunately it would have been better if I had stayed back because now my life is in danger. I was going through my father's effects when I found a document to the deposition of funds made by my father with a prime bacnk here in my name. I have since contacted the bank manager but he told me that the agreement made by my father with the bank was that there must be a guardian with me before the funds should be release to me..
This is why I have contacted you to stand as my guardian and present you to the bank management to enable them transfered the funds to you. Afterwards you will assist me to leave the country.Presently I am staying with a friend under an assumed name for fear of detection from the killers of my parent.
Please keep this proposal as a top secret and delete if you are not interested.
My Regards to you and your family.
Fatu Abdullah
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Anti-fraud resources:
