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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:
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Anna Kessie <sidselanderson@gmail.com>
Reply-To: kessie09454559@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2021 11:14:28 +0000
Subject: hi
I am very sorry for this sudden contact, I saw your email address through
an online directory and I contacted you because I need your urgent
assistance. My name is Anna Kessie; I am a 19 years old girl and the only
child of my deceased parents. My father was an oil and gas drilling
engineer and he deposited the sum of three million, eight hundred thousand
Euros in my name in the Swedish bank before he died in January 2017 which I
have all banking details with me. Please I want you to help me receive the
money in your bank account for investments, and after the transfer you will
also help me get a student visa to come over to your country to continue my
education. This is because my only uncle wants to kill me and take over my
inheritance. I have severally reported my uncle to the local Police here in
my country Ivory Coast, but nothing has been done to help me since then and
my life is at big risk! I am writing this letter to you from a local hotel
where I am presently hiding for my safety until I travel out of my country
after the transfer. I am willing to offer you thirty percent of the money
as compensation if you help me. Please reply to me so that I will send you
more information.
Thanks in advance and god bless you.
Anna
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Anti-fraud resources:
