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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 united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Nkau OUATTARA <o.nku@outlook.fr>
Reply-To: Nkau OUATTARA <o.nku@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2016 15:24:17 +0900 (JST)
Subject: I need your assistance
>From Miss OUATTARA Nkau
ABIDJAN, Côte D'ivoire
Hello dear.
My name is Miss OUATTARA Nkau. I am 20 years old and the only daughter and child of Mr. OUATTARA Maman. My father was the Chief Operating Manager Oil & Gas Petroci
Holdings, Côte D'ivoire. My father was fatally shot by his immediate brother on April 2, 2016 at his residence in Cocody district of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire after he intervened in an argument between his relatives on a family
meeting.
Before the death of my father in a special hospital here in our country, he secretly told me that he has $10.500,000.00 USD (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in a bank here in our country and
he used my name as the next of kin. He further advise me before he died that i should seek for a foreign partner who will assist me receive this fund on my
behalf so that i can leave this country as quick as possible for my safety.
I am presently in a hiding here in our country because of my father's relatives. Please help me
I am willing to offer you 30% for your help
Best Regards
Miss Nkau
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Anti-fraud resources:
