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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:
- "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)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: ousmane Konte <ousmanekonte774@gmail.com>
Reply-To: kontebernard@yandex.com
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2021 12:33:26 +0100
Subject: Business inquiry
Good day,
I would like to know what it will take us to invest in your country with
you as our business partner. I write to seek your service to solicit for
your assistance and guidelines in making a business investment and transfer
of $13,600,000.00 (Thirteen Million Six Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars) to your country and with you as a partnership. I would like to
know what it will take us as foreigners in your country to invest into the
real estate market and live with families. I am a high placed officer
working with (construction department) in my country. Me and my colleague
are currently in need of a client foreign partner whose identity we can use
to transfer this sum of money. This fund accrued legitimately to us as
commission from foreign contracts, through our private connections. The
transfer will be affected within a period not longer than two weeks as soon
as we reach an agreement and you furnish me with a suitable response
indicating your interest as soon as possible.
Regards,
Dr. Bernard Konte.
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Anti-fraud resources:
