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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:
- "huge sum of money" (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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
Fraud email example:
From: =?UTF-8?Q?Serge_Nguessa?= <serge.nguessa@yandex.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2015 14:56:00 +0200
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?Good_day?=
Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I am Serge N’guessa the only child of late Mr. N’guessa N’guessa My father was a reputable business magnet (cocoa and coffee merchant) based in San Pedro, south west of Ivory Coast before he was poisoned to death by an unknown person.
I lost my mother since I was 5 years to the cold hands of cancer, my father took me so special because I was motherless and lonely. Before the death of my father on 29th January 2009, he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he deposited a huge sum of money in a bank in Abidjan the economic capital of Ivory Coast. That am the next of kin to this deposit.
He also explained to me that it was because of his success that he was poisoned by his business associates out of jealousy. That I should seek for a foreign partner in à country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose. I am honorably seeking your assistance in the following ways.
1) Can I trust you and can you help me as a son?
2) Can you help me invest my money till I am through with my studies and of age to control it
3) Before aiding me to realize my dream, how many percent of my inheritance will you take?
I await your response
Serge N’guessa
Telephone: +22556514013
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Anti-fraud resources:
