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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Accountant Manager <accountant@ubabankgroup.com>
Reply-To: mr.malicahmed@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 11 May 2016 14:44:07 -0400
Subject: From Senior Accountant.
Dear Friend,
I am Mr.Malic AHMED a Senior Accounting Manager in UBA Bank,
Ouagadougou,Burkina Faso.Please,l wanted to transfer the sum of USD$11 Million
dollars only into your bank account for charity organization in your Country.
This fund belong to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Slawomir Skrzypek
(investor) a formal Governor of the National Bank Of Poland who died
on a plane
crash in 2010.
The plane crash website is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8613395.stm
The fund will be shared 50% by 50%. Please, kindly provide me your
full contact
details as l stated below:
1. Your Full Name:........:...........................
2. Direct Mobile Number:............................
3. Contact Address:...................................
4. Sex/Age:........................................:......
5. Marital Status:.......................................
6. Occupation:...........................................
7. Country Of Origin:...................................
8. Attached any of Your Passport or ID Copy.
Please on your confirmation of this message and indicating your
interest I will
furnish you with more details. Therefore, Contact me via e-Mail.
May God bless us.
Yours Faithfully.
Mr.Malic AHMED.
Senior Accounting Manager.
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Anti-fraud resources:
