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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)
- "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "million 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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Lovogr0321@edu.Halmstad.se
Reply-To: huda@aramcogroupllc.com
Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2021 14:06:59 -0600
Subject: DEAR FRIEND
Dear Friend, I necessitate your partnership on a transaction worth 12.5 million Dollars as soon as you agree to work with me which is voluntary on your part and if you are not interested there is no problem whatsoever as I will take it in good faith and please I plead with you not to disclose it to anybody as I do not want to have any issues because of my Profile and Status in my country. SAUDI ARABIA OIL COMPANY (SAUDI ARAMCO) where I work made a deal for the supply of Twenty Five Million barrels (25,000,000.00 Barrels) of BRENT CRUDE OIL to an OVERSEAS OIL FIRM at the rate of 67.5 Dollars per barrel some weeks ago. After the quotation was made and the deal sealed oil prices fell in the World Oil Market to 67 Dollars and with the influence of my office I was able to revert the Documents in the records here in Saudi Arabia to the new price which is 67 Dollars making an excess of 50 cents or half a dollar on each barrel of crude sold. This makes a total excess sum of 12.5million United States Dollars. Already SAUDI ARAMCO has received its payment and now with my Contacts in the Overseas Bank where the excess 12.5m Dollars is Lodged I will want to present you to the Overseas Bank as the Beneficiary of the Balance 12.5m Dollars funds been Your Outstanding Payment for Contract Executed with SAUDI ARAMCO and I will prepare all documentation and paperwork to this regards showing you are a Contractor supplying OIL SERVICING EQUIPMENT'S to SAUDI ARAMCO so the funds can be released to you as beneficiary. I can personally assure you that this transaction is 100% risk-free and legal and as a Saudi Citizen and a Senior Officer here I cannot present myself to the Offshore bank for the payment to be made to me for Confidentiality and also I cannot present any of my Family and friends here in Saudi Arabia and this is the reason I contacted you for your assistance and we shall share the funds in the ratio of 60% (Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars(7.5m Dollars)) for me and 40%(Five Million USD(5m Dollars) for you once the deal has been completed. Please indicate your interest and willingness to assist to enable me to send more details to you about the transaction. I await your response. Mrs. Huda Al-ghoson, Saudi Aramco.
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Anti-fraud resources:
