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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:
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Fraud email example:
From: ayi elom eklu <eklu.elomayi@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2021 10:14:35 +0000
Subject: Personal message
Hello, I'm Kris Jaana an Attorney and a National of Togo. A client of mine
died and left a huge amount of money in a bank here and I want you to
receive the funds($12.8million) my late client left behind here in a bank
due to his tragic death as a result of a car accident on the 7-June-2011. I
want you to receive the funds as the next of kin to my late client. I will
back you up so that the bank here will transfer the funds to you. I want
you to receive the funds because you have one thing in common with my late
client. And what you have in common with my late client will make the Bank
here to believe that you are related to my late client and release the
funds he left behind to you as his next of kin. Regards, Barrister Kris
Jaana.
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Anti-fraud resources:
