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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:
- "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: "Mrs. Filo Kattan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fitri@bol.com.br>
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2015 18:46:44 -0300
Subject: Why Am contacting you is !*
Hello dear,
My name is Mrs. FILO KATTAN from Sierra-Leone. I live in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire here with my only child RAMON who is just 17 years of age. It's with tears and pains that I write you this mail from my sick bed in the hospital here because I deemed it necessary to disclose this important issue to you and I believe you can be of assistance. I have being suffering from a long time sickness which started 2 years ago as I came back from the village for my late husband's funeral and I have tried many medications but all to no avail. Am very sorry to bother you with my pains and vision for the poor, but I can't keep quiet and die with this vision that i planned years back with my late husband before his death.
Why Am contacting you is because I have some funds US$7.500, 000 which I inherited from my late husband and I need your and sincerer co-operation and assistance to help me receive this money in your account in your country and use it as I directed you herein. 1. For the welfare of the poor and other rightful charity homes in your country or elsewhere in the world. 2. To assist the sick ones in the hospitals. 3. To help my son RAMON come over to your country to further his education while you help him invest his part of the fund in a good business in your country.
I and my son have agreed to give you 15% of this fund as compensation and thanks for your help and for managing this project. If you interested and assure that you can be TRUSTED in this matter, reply me immediately so that i can give you more details before I go for operation.
May God bless you.
Yours beloved sister and son,
Mrs. Filo Kattan and son Ramon.
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Anti-fraud resources:
