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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned 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: nancy mabawah <nancy001b@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 6 Jun 2015 22:50:12 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Looking for investment assistance
Mrs Nancy Mabawah
Abidjan Cote D' Ivoire
ATTN
In
brief introduction i am Mrs Nancy Mabawah the wife of the late Dr Paul
Mabawah Jr of the blessed memory with due respect which i believe you
will be of great assistance to me and my children prior to my husband
assasination by forces loyal to corporal Foday Sankoh of the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) he was the Director General of National
Gold and Diamond Mining Corporation of sierra leone Two weeks before my
husband assasination he deposited the sum of (US$15.500.000) fifteen
million five hundred thousand united state dollars in a security company
here in cote d' iviore .three days before his assasination he
instructed me and my children ( James and Rose ) to move out of sierra
leone immediately to cote d' ivoire a nearby country because of the
political crisis before the powerfully economic community of west
african states (ECOMOG) forces intervened which eventually resulted into
brutal civil war .
The trunk box containing the funds was deposited
as family valuable and treasures for security reasons in the security
company custudy .right now because of the upheaval political crisis , i
found it unwise to invest this fund here in african countries i am
asking for your assistance in transferring of this funds to your country
where there is political stability for investment wise for the future
of my family .i agree to give you 20% of the total sum in question , as
your entitlement for assisting us in transferring the said funds and we
have mapped 5% of the total funds for any expenses which you may incure
in assisting us like, telephone calls bill,travelling and accommodation.
Your Faithfully
Mrs Nancy Mabawah ( James and Rose )for the family
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