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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:
- "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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 orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "Miss. Rita Gullivan" <ritagulliv@mail.bg>
Reply-To: "Miss. Rita Gullivan" <adamssjrita01@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2015 17:34:08 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dearest beloved one, I need your assistance.
From/:Miss. Rita Gullivan
Dearest
One,
Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you.
 I
am Ms. Rita Gullivan. the only daughter of late Mr and Mrs
Gullivan Adam. from Republic of Namibia also in Africa. My father was
the former director for processor of agricultural products In Embassy
of Côte d'Ivoire based in Abidjan the economic capital of Ivory Coast
before he was
poisoned to death by one of his business associates on one of their
outing to discussion on a business deal.
When my mother died,my
father took me special because i am motherless before the death of my
father on
30th May 2012 in a private hospital in my country which he secretly
called me on his bedside and told me that he deposited the sum
$5.000.000 (Five Million United State dollars) one of the Famours
Finance Institution, that he used my name Ms Rita Gullivan as his first
daughter as the next of kin in depositing the fund,and he also handed
over to me the documents covering the deposit of the money.
Moreover,i
am willing to offer you a reasonable 25 % of the total sum as
compensation for effort input after the successful transfer of this fund
to your designated account overseas and mind you it will your duty to
invest the rest money as soon as am with you in your country.
Please
I’m presently in the Bible Believing Baptist Church in Coccody with
the help of our father in the Lord bishop Calvert Yaya.
Hoping to hear from you soonest.
May our almighty GOD bless you
Miss. Rita
Gullivan.
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