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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:
- "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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Sirmad Bissa Alireza" <s.alireza1973@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.sirmad-el-bassi_alireza@barid.com
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2017 18:41:58 +0200
Subject: Your urgent letter is needed immediately.
Dear Partner,
My name is Mr. Sirmad Al bassi. a banker working with the Bank of
Africa BOA Burkina Faso. I have decided to seek a confidential
co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described
here-under for our both mutual benefit and I hope you will keep it a
top secret because of the nature of the transaction. During the course
of our bank year auditing, I discovered an unclaimed fund worth the
total of {US$50.5 Million United State Dollars} in the bank account
that belongs to a America businessman who unfortunately lost his life
and entire family in a plane crash.
All I request is your utmost sincere co-operation, trust and maximum
confidentiality to achieve this project successfully. I have carefully
planned out the moralities for execution of this transaction under a
legitimate arrangement to protect you from any breach of the law both
in your country and here in Burkina Faso when the fund is being
transferred to your bank account.
Send also your private telephone and fax number including the full
details of the account to be used for the deposit. I need your full
co-operation to make this work fine. Because the management is ready
to approve this payment to any foreigner who has correct information
of this account, which I will give to you, upon your positive response
and once I am convinced that you are capable and will meet up with
instruction of a key bank official who is deeply involved with me in
this business.
(1) YOUR FULL NAME..........................
(2) YOUR AGE...........................
(3) MARITAL STATUS........................
(4) YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER........................
(5) YOUR FAX NUMBER........................
(6) YOUR COUNTRY.......................
(7) YOUR OCCUPATION............................
(8) SEX............................
(9) YOUR RELIGION...........................
(10) YOUR PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS...........................
NOTE: THIS TRANSACTION IS CONFIDENTIAL.
Thanks for your assistance in advance.
Bill and Exchange (Executive Director).
Best regard
Mr. Sirmad Al Bassi.
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Anti-fraud resources:
