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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)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Rustico Lawson Banku <lawyerrbanku@gmail.com>
Reply-To: adv.banku@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 08:43:02 -0800
Subject: Dear friend,
Dear friend,
I am sorry for reaching you through this medium as it is the most
convenient way for me to reach you now based on the urgency and its
importance. My name is Barr. Rustico Banku, a legal practitioner and also
the personal legal attorney to (Engr.Philip) who happens to be your cousin
as been traced to your lineage because of you have the same last names with
him, i have an important message for you on his behalf concerning
retrieving of his funds amounting to the sum of US$13.8 Million with a
Bceao bank here in Togo before his death because the board of directors of
the bank is planning to confiscate the consignment fund if i couldn't
present the next of kin to his estates within the next 21 working days.
Please get back to me immediately if you are interested to work with me to
redeem this fund, so that i will give you more explanation about this and
how to proceed with the claim officially with the bank. Write to me direct
for more details.
Regards,
(Associate l Rustico Banku (SAT TV)
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Anti-fraud resources:
