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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:
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: belloabubaka <belloabubaka94@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bellobelloabubakar5@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2021 00:16:18 -0800
Subject: URGENT REPLY
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Hello,
I am a relative of a politically exposed person (PEP) that is in
financial regulation. Due to my present health condition, I'd decided
to write through this email for the security reason.
Therefore, kindly treat this as top secret for the security reason.
I'd after fasting and prayer choose to write not you particularly but
I believing in probability of you being a confidant chosen by chance;
luck to help and share in this noble cause.
I need your assistant to conduct secret transfers of family's funds
worth €90.5 millions Euros. It was deposited in bank clandestinely.
I am in grave condition and I expect my death any moment now and I
want to donate the fund to less privilege and you will be rewarded
with reasonable percentage of the fund if you can assist.
Please contact me back for more details,
Yours truly,
Bello Abubakar
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Anti-fraud resources:
