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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "await your urgent response" (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.
- marsha.adamu120@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Marsha Adamu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <marsha.adamu120@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 20:49:01 -0000
Subject: I await your urgent response.
Dearly Friend,
My Greetings to you and your family, my name is Marsha Adamu, I have little business and I really need
who will help me to carry out this business for me. I have 155kg Gold with (Consignment) contains $6.5
Million U.S.Dollars left with me by my late father and some family member wanted to kill me so that they can
take the gold from me. I run out from my country to where the consignment was deposited right now. My
father as a gold mining company here in Sierra Leonine and i was the only son of him but he marry five
wives. My late father deposited this Gold and cash money with a company here in Ghana and the company
doesn't know the content of the consignment kept in their custody, and seriously advised me not to unfold
the content to them because he registered it there as personal family inheritance. I will like to have a foreign
buyer or someone who can help me get a buyer. I found your information while I was searching through the
internet and decide to send you an email if you can be of help or by anyway can help me get a buyer. I will
furnish you with further exclusive and of course, confidential details once I receive your affirmatory response.
I will send you all necessary information about myself and I will like to invite you to Ghana West Africa so that we meet
face to face and go to the company and you can see the gold for yourself .Please respond on this email if
you are willing to assist me you(marsha.adamu120@gmail.com) or call me (00233230438701)
I await your urgent response.
Yours Sincerely
Marsha Adamu.
Telephone (00233230438701)
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Anti-fraud resources:
