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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:
- "million us 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Kamal Ali" <kamal_ali003@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: kamal_ali002@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 15:38:58 -0800
Subject: FROM KAMAL ALI
Compliments,
I am Kamal Ali,Late Muammar Gaddafi aid/confidant and family friend.During his era as the President of Libya, i assisted him in starching out the amount of $15,000,000.00 (Fifteen million US dollars) out of Libya to a safe place in Ghana.The money is Secured Somewhere in Ghana which Details would be disclosed to you as we make progress.
I am contacting you to receive and invest this money on a joint partnership basis based on Trust hence the Late Muammar Gaddafi is dead and nobody knows about this except myself. Please let me know whether we can work together in the partnership venture so that i will
give you more details of the transaction.
Note: Kindly keep this proposal as top secret and confidential for security reason while you provide the requested information below for me to start some documentation that would enable you receive the money in your bank account as fund meant for investment purpose.
Full name:
Address:
Phone number:
Business profile:
Yours sincerely,
Kamal Ali
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Anti-fraud resources:
