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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:
- "confidential business" (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: "A.Lawan"<lawan@un.org>
Reply-To: sen.uzamere11@gmail.com
Date: 13 Feb 2022 03:23:42 +0100
Subject: Opportunity!
Hello and good day,
Pardon me for intruding upon you, I hope my email finds you in a
good spirit this new year. I do not presume to know you but I
strongly believe we could be of immense use to each other. In my
search for a credible and capable business parttner I found your
contact and I wish to discuss a viable and confidential business
with you.
My name is Ahmed Lawan, I am the Senate President of the Federal
republic of Nigeria. I am looking to make a private investment
and I need a trusted partner not directly known to me with the
capacity to handle and receive a huge fund transfer from my
country through a government payment process which is presently
ongoing.
This transaction is worth over $18million out of which I am ready
to offer you 20% for your assistance. To prove myself and show
this is real business, we can have a meeting before we proceed to
get more acquainted. I need to know if I can trust you to be
honest and discreet in handling the affairs of this project and
help me receive this money quietly in your country. We can make a
plan for a long term business relationship. Kindly get back to me
and let me know your position.
Best Regards,
Sen Ahmed Lawan.
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Anti-fraud resources:
