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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "very confidential" (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: kadri yusufu <mr.kadri_yusufu@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:39:14 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: My Name is Mr. Kadri Yusufu
Dear Friend,
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I am well confident of your capability of executing this transaction for themutual benefit of our both families, believing that you will not expose orbetray the trust and confident I am about to repose on you.
Â
I need your help and urgent assistance. i want to transfer the sum of $7.3m USDimmediately to your account. The money has been dormant for many years in ourBank here. i want to release the money to you as the nearest person to theowner of the account who died in air crash. Since nobody is coming for itbecause we don't want the money to go into our Bank treasury as unclaimedmoney.
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I agreed to offer you 40% of the total sum if you agree to assist me in thebusiness and 2% will be for any expenses incurred during the transaction whilethe rest will be for me.
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Please i would like you to keep this transaction very confidential as you maywish to know that I am Bank officer.
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Upon receipt of your positive reply, i will send you more details of thetransaction.
Â
Mr.Kadri Yusufu
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Anti-fraud resources:
