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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:
- "million 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)
- This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Edith <gedith123456@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Edith <rve_edithabed@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2015 18:35:07 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Good Morning Beloved
Good Morning Beloved,
Greetings
I am Mrs. Edith.R. Abed from Ivory Coast.I was married to Late Chief
Mohammed Abed who was acontractor with the Government of Cote D Ivoire
before he died after few days in the hospital.
When my late husband
was alive he deposited the sum of $1.8 Million Dollars with a Bank in
Cote Dvoire. Presently this money is still in the custody of the Bank
here in Cote DIvoire. My Doctor told me that it is very likely I will
die within the next 3 months due to A Blood cancer {LUCAMIA}.
I have
decided to donate the money for charity to you since I do not have a
child to inherit it and it? better I do not die leaving the money here
without it reaching to the poor and the lessprivileged ones in the
society. As soon as I receive your reply I shall tell my bank
to transfer the money to you.
Informations Required from you are:
Your Full Name(.......................... )
Your Direct Tel & Fax N?:(...................... )
Your Home & Office addresses(..............................)
Your Bank Account(..................)
Your ID (....................)
Your Age(................................)
With
these informations, I will forward them to the Bank for immediately
transferring of the Funds to your Position. Please always pray for me
and let God give me more Good health to stay in this World.
Mrs.Edith.R. Abed
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Anti-fraud resources:
