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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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: JOHN MENSAH <hien.nguyen@tungfeng.com>
Reply-To: johnmennsah0011@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2017 22:51:17 -0700
Subject: *****SPAM***** Attn:
--
Attn:
I am making this contact with you after satisfactory information
gathered
from the EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce (EUACC). Based on this, we are
convinced that you will provide us with a solution to effect remittance
of
the sum of $148,000,000 resulting from over costing of contracts done
for
the African Union (AU) by foreign companies.
I am the chairman of the contract award commission of the African Union.
My
committee is responsible for all contracts award in all the member
states
in the African Union. We evaluate and secure approvals for payment of
contracts executed for AU. We have tactfully raised values to some
foreign
companies for onward disbursement among ourselves, the Director of
Accounts
/ Finance and Director of Audit.
This transaction is 100% safe. We are seeking your assistance and
permission to remit this amount into your Account.
Please respond if you are interested.
Thanks for your co-operations.
Yours faithfully
JOHN MENSAH
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Anti-fraud resources:
