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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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)
- "lagos" (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.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- hassanusman144@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Hassan Usman" <roshan.asadi@acci.org.af>
Reply-To: hassanusman144@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 13:10:59 +0000
Subject: REF - YOUR OUTSTANDING FUND PAYMENT
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FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
OFFICE OF THE PAYMENT VERIFICATION PANEL NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION
LAGOS LIAISON OFFICE
Date: 07/07/2014
Attn:,
It is my pleasure to inform you that your payment will be made to you
via bank draft or Wire transfer by Hsbc Bank London or ING Bank
Germany, Amsterdam, Belgium or our correspondent bank in South Africa,
the British Financial consultant in charge of the transfer Mr. Greg
Smith will contact you as soon as we receive your details from you we
will forward your informations to the British Financial Consultant to
direct you on what you should do for the interest of your transfer of
this $28m usd.Now, My advice to you is to send all your Banking
Details to me so that i can be able to forward it to the British
Financial consultant Mr.Greg Smith to enable any of these mentioned
banks above to transfer your fund to your account which you will
provide to me.
Always update this office to enable us make a good record of your
claim and why I am advising you is because I saw attached record in
your file and it is not in favor of you that is why you should try
your best to make sure you receive this fund this time to avoid losing
it.Again I will like you to get back to me once you receive this mail
to enable us signal the consultant Mr. Greg Smith.Waiting for your
reply Email hassanusman144@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Hassan Usman
Chairman Payment Verification Panel
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Anti-fraud resources:
