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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 united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- infomail201378@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Usman Momoh Muostafa" <infomail2211@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: infomail201378@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2016 22:55:42 +0300
Subject: Mr. Usman Momoh Muostafa.
Dear Friend
You may be surprise to receive this mail since you don’t know me
personally, but with due respect, trust and humility, I write to you
this proposal. I am Mr. Usman Momoh Muostafa the son of Mr. Ebrahim
Mohamed Muostafa of Darfur Sudan. It is indeed my pleasure to contact
you for assistance of a business venture which I intend to establish
in your country only if you will be interested.
I got your contact while I was doing a private research on the
Internet for a reliable foreign partner that will assist me and my
family to transfer sum funds to your personal or company’s account for
investment purpose.
Considering the political instabilities in my country, I believe one
has to risk confiding in success sometimes in life.
There is this huge amount of funds (US35 Million.) THIRTY FIVE
MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS) which my late Father deposited in a
private security company awaiting claim before he was assassinated by
unknown persons in my country Darfur Sudan.
Now I have decided to invest the funds in your country or anywhere
safe for security reasons. I have mutually agreed to compensate you
with 30% of the total amount if you agree to assist me. You can
contact me through this Email (infomail201378@yahoo.co.jp)
I will give you further details as soon as you show interest, also I
have so many business opportunities to share with you as soon as this
very one work out.
I wait for your kind consideration to my proposal.
Best Regards,
Mr. Usman Momoh Muostafa.
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