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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- charleskwesi54@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Paul C.Kwesi Williams" <greenrbert5@gmail.com>
Reply-To: charleskwesi54@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2017 00:11:56 -0700
Subject: FROM Mr.Paul C.Kwesi Williams
Hello Dear,
Good day and compliments of the season. My name is Mr.Paul C.Kwesi Williams
personal assistant to a Ghanaian politician who is interested in investing
within the middle East to keep the eyes of the government out of his
properties as a government official. I want to know if you can stand with
us as a partner to invest and oversee the sum of Twelve million five
hundred thousand dollars ($12,500,000.00) He will give you 30% of the fund
for your own investment while the 70% will be invested in his name and you
will be the care taker till he is out of office.
Let me know as soon as possible if you are ready and i will make
arrangement to transfer the money to you through bank to bank transfer.
Get back to me as soon as possible and we will take it from
there.Email:charleskwesi54@gmail.com
Regards,
Mr.Paul C.Kwesi Williams
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Anti-fraud resources:
