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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Andrey Gafah" <andreygafah@aegisprotective.com>
Reply-To: andreygafah3114@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 22:48:59 +0900
Subject: DEAREST ONE,
DEAREST ONE,
COMPLIMENTS. I KNOW THIS MAIL WILL SURPRISE YOU SINCE I DO NOT KNOW YOU OR
MEET WITH YOU BEFORE BUT I'M OF THE
BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE TOUCHED TO ASSIST ME OUT OF THIS SITUATION AFTER
READING THROUGH MY PLEA.
I AM MASTER. ANDREY GAFAH, THE SON OF LATE MR.WILSON K.GAFAH, I LOST MY
MOTHER WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS. MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY GOLD AND COCOA
MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE
WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS
ON A BUSINESS.
BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN.
HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE DEPOSITED SOME
GOLD AND CASH SUM OF US$9M(NINE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN AN
ACCOUNT WITH A BANK IN ACCRA GHANA AND HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR
THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSITING OF THE GOLD AND THE MONEY.
HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS
POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN
PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE
IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE.
I HAVE CONTACTED THE BANK WHERE MY FATHER MADE THE DEPOSIT AND THEY TOLD
ME THAT BECAUSE OF MY AGE THEY WILL NOT RELEASE THE MONEY TO ME AND THE
ONLY CONDITION TO RELEASE THE MONEY IS FOR ME TO BRING IN SOMEONE WHO WILL
STAND AS MY PARENT OR GUARDIAN. CONSIDERING THE EVENT THAT LED TO MY
FATHERS DEATH, I AM AFRAID TO CONSULT ANYBODY HERE FOR THE SAFETY OF MY
LIFE.
IT IS BASED ON THIS THAT I CONTACTED YOU AND I AM HONORABLY SEEKING FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1.)TO STAND AS MY GUARDIAN AND INVESTOR BEFORE THE BANK
2.)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO
3.) TO SERVE AS MY GUARDIAN IN THE INVESTMENT OF THIS MONEY
4.) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THE
MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED.
I AM READY TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL MONEY TO YOU AS COMPENSATION FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE AFTER THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS
ANDREY GAFAH
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Anti-fraud resources:
