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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:
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "dr.igho101@voila.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Igho Menah" <president@fdmem.md>
Reply-To: dr.igho01@voila.fr
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2015 12:19:48 +0200
Subject: Looking forward to your reply.
My Dear Good Friend.
Compliment of the season, how are you and your family? Hope All is well. I
am Dr. Igho Menah, the accountant general in the accounts unit Bank of
Africa (BOA-BF) Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. I got your contact from the
Burkina Faso chambers of commerce have some fund to claim in my bank Which
will be of benefit to both of us.
I want you to be an inheritor of the fund, the fund is in a Doormat
account and with your bank information and my Documentation certifies you
as the inheritor/beneficiary Since I am an insider and working in the same
bank, the Transfer will be processed legally and successfully and I will
Be coming down to your country for disbursement.
The amount of money involved is ($5.6million) which I want you to Claim
for further transfer out of the country to your bank Account, all to our
financial benefit. This is very great opportunity as it will take a
maximum of 7 banking Working days to be concluded.
I as an insider will do my duties perfectly well concerning this
transaction for security reasons. This is confidential for successful
conclusion and hitch-free transaction. Contact me immediately for further
details and mutual Relationship and we will decide together on how to
disburse The funds and percentage as well, my private email Address
:(dr.igho101@voila.fr)
I will be waiting to hear from you.
Yours truly.
Dr. Igho Menah.
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Anti-fraud resources:
