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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:
- "hundred thousand u.s 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Fali Islapha" <falipha01@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Fali Islapha" <fali_i@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2015 07:03:47 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Greetings From Mrs.Fali Islapha
Greetings From Mrs.Fali Islapha
Greetings of peace to you, I am Mrs.Fali Islapha a devoted Christian and now ageing widow suffering from long time illness. I have a blood cancer and right now I am admitted in a hospital here at Abidjan Cote Divoire. I have some inherited fund from my late loving husband late Dr Davis Islapha The amount of ten million five hundred thousand U.S dollars ($10,500,000) which he deposited with a Finance firm here and I need a good honest God fearing person who can use these funds for God's work in charity.
I want this fund to go for charity because I have no child to be the inheritor, 20% out of the total fund will be for your compensation for doing this work of God. I found your email address from the internet and decide to contact you. Please if you would be able to use this fund for
Fali Islapha: the glory of God kindly reply me.
Your Sister In The Lord.
Mrs.Fali Islapha.
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