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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge sum of money" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Pascal Mufai <doronmansaray@gmail.com>
Reply-To: pascalmufai225@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 18:00:25 +0100
Subject: Hello
Hello !
I hope this mail meets you in good health, strange or surprising this
contact might seem to you I humbly ask that you take due consideration of
its importance and immense benefit. My name is Pascal Mufai, I was the
personal aid to the former president of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo before
his capture.
While in office, he asked me to keep a certain box containing huge sum of
money (US$25Million) for him in his village at a certain place he described
to me but I cornered the box to another location unknown to him. I
successfully deposited it in a Private security company abroad. I will like
you to help me claim this box and deposit the money in your account for any
business you may suggest is lucrative for our mutual benefits. You can see
details from this website. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14477842
Please let me know the percentage you will take from this money for helping
me recover it. Presently I am under hiding in Ghana and I will not like
anybody to know my where about. I am waiting to hear from you so that I
will detail you fully. kindly reply to me through my private email.
Thank you.
Pascal Mufai
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Anti-fraud resources:
