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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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Aya Ashraf <mrsaya.ashraf@yahoo.com.my>
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2015 14:38:48 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Greetings my dear friend
 Dear Friend
My Name is Mrs.Aya Ashraf from Aleppo, Syria. I know this message will be a pleasant surprise to you. Firstly, I am married to Mr.Fara Wachiri.A gold merchant who owns a small gold Mine in Burkina Faso. He died of Cardiovascular Disease before the uprising in Syria began in mid-March 2011. During his life time he deposited the sum of Six million Five hundred thousand dollars in a bank in Ouagadougou the capital city of Burkina Faso in West Africa. The deposited money was from the sale of the shares, death benefits payment and entitlements of my deceased husband by his company.
The effects of the crisis in my country have restricted people and offices from normal services and many lives and properties destroyed. The devastating condition and insecurity in my country persuaded me to contact you. I write to request your assistance to transfer the above fund to your country for security and precautionary purposes. It is practically difficult to contact anybody in my country to handle the transaction because of the war.
The success of processing and transferring the fund to a secure account requires an individual who can stand as my next of kin or an executor to claim it hence none of my husband’s relatives or mine are alive. They were killed during the war in my country. I cannot transfer the funds directly to a foreign account without selecting an executor or next of kin to claim it as the procedure of the claim indicates.
You will take forty Percent for your services if you agree to assist me. You will also help me with some travelling documents to your country when the transfer is done. I need to start a new life somewhere and make a good living. I shall give you more information when you accept and indicate your interest.
Thank you.
Mrs.Aya Ashraf.+963212668800
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Anti-fraud resources:
