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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- 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.
- ralphsawadogo@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Ralph Sawadogo <alxxxxx06@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Ralph Sawadogo <ralphsawadogo@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 18:22:52 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Urgent need for foreign partner
 Dear Friend,
It's Just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction.I am currently holding the post of manager in the Account and Auditing Department of the bank where I work.
I need your urgent assistance to transfer a left over funds of twelve million, five hundred thousand United States dollars ($12,500 000 00) abandoned in an account for years into your account.
Hence, i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can
be transferred into a foreign account and shared between us in the ratio of 60%
for me,40% for you.Get back to me immediately if you are interested so that i can send you details of this transaction.Thank you for your time and i look forward to working with you.My email: ralphsawadogo@gmail.com
Yours,
Ralph Sawadogo
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Anti-fraud resources:
