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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. )
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Camilla Kenani" <aishaahmed_15@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Camilla Kenani" <camilla.kenani@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 17:46:42 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From Miss Camilla Kenani
>From Miss Camilla Kenani
I am
Miss Camilla Kenani and I am 19 years old orphan and the daughter of
the former president of Cocoa farmers association of Ivory Coast,
Currently I have left the university campus where i was studying
Medicine because of threats to my life as my father was a big Financier
to the former outsted President Laurent Gbagbo who is now in prison in
Hague for war crime offences.
I have a sum of $7.8 Million USD
to be retrieved from a security company which my late father who died
during the cvil war of the Ivory Coast presidential elections deposited
but registered as family valuables on my behalf for obvious reasons. I
have the documents and I am the next of kin and heir.
I don't,want this fund invested here, please if you can help me kindly email me back for more details.
Your prompt reply will be highly appreciated.
Regards,
Miss Camilla Kenani Carr
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Anti-fraud resources:
