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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Helena" <ak257237896@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Helena" <helena.enedo@terra.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2014 01:38:52 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Re: Thank you so much.
My Greetings,
Â
In order to escape alive
from our country Liberia because of the then prevailing crisis and civil war, my father relocated his
remaining assets outside the country after the destruction of everything he
had.
Â
Now weakened by his
tragic death after a long period of sickness, i have stopped going to school
and do not get any assistance because of the political situation and many years
of civil war there.
Â
Please i want to confide
on you for my future and hope that you can support and assist me.
Â
But before my father’s
death, he told me about the sum of €3,800,000.00 (Three Million Eight Hundred
Thousand Euros) which he deposited in a Security Company here and declared as
family valuables but my wish is to move it out for my security reasons based on
his advice just before he died.
Â
I have contacted you now
to help me so that this money can be moved out of the Security Company here to
you for investment purposes for our common benefit and my better future.
Â
I am in a desperate
situation and need your urgent assistance and support so that this money can be
moved out from the Security Company here to you as soon as possible.
Â
I await your soonest
response.
 Ms. Rhonda Beneson.
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Anti-fraud resources:
