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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:
- 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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Wilson Stephen <w.stephen2@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2017 07:42:31 -0500
Subject: RE: HELLO DEAR, CAN WE WORK TOGETHER ON THIS PROFITABLE BUSINESS?
Good Day,
Please Read very carefully. I am Mr. Stephen Wilson.. I’m the credit officer in a Bank here in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. I have a business proposal in the tune of US $ 12.5M (TWEVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) after the successful transfer; we shall share in ratio of 40% for you and 60% for me. I want to front you in the bank so that you can apply for the claim off this fund as the next of kin to our late customer who died years ago with his entire family while on holidays and several attempt has being made to locate his family without success.
You should understand that as an insider in the bank I will do everything possible to protect your interest and to make sure that I follow things up as soon as you are willing to work this out with me because I will not want this money to go into the government purse. Should you be interested, please contact me so that we can commence on all arrangements and I Will give you more information on how we would handle this project. Please treat this business with utmost confidentiality and send me the Following information:
(1)Full names:
(2) Private phone number:
(3) Current residential address
(4)Occupation:
(5) Age and Sex:
Here is the website for more information about the owner of the fund’s death
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/ 07/21/Worldandnation/12_ Americans_die_in_K.shtml
Thanks,
Mr. Stephen Wilson
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Anti-fraud resources:
