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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- This email message is a orphan scam.
- 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.
- oviewilliams1986@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Ovie Williams <oviewilliams1986@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:25:05 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Partnership request
From: Williams Mills Ovie
UN Refugee Camp
Bujumbura, Accra, Ghana
Dear Proposed Partner,
Please permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship
with you as I contact you today and hereby propose for your cooperation as my
appointed foreign Partner. I am Williams Mills Ovie 26 years of age and the
only son of late Mr. Richard Mills Ovie. I am presently in a Refugee Camp. My
Father was a wealthy African/Middle East Oil and Gold Merchant based in Ghana
but was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business
trips. My Mother died when I was a little boy and since then my Father took me
so special. Before he died he secretly called me at his bed side and told me
that he has the sum of US$9.5M balance deposited with a Finance Bank here in
Ghana.
Now I seek your cooperation as my Foreign Partner (1) to receive the money on
my behalf from the custodian Company. (2) To serve as my Investment Supervisor
since I have little knowledge of big financial business. (3) To partner with me
on my proposed Estate Development Investment in your country. I am prepared to
negotiate your percentage share after the successful transfer of this money
into your bank account or any other capable person overseas. All I need from
you is your trust and honest cooperation to enable us complete this transaction
successfully. I assure you this transaction will be executed legally. Do get
back to me with your full name and contact for more information and I will send
you copy of the deposit document. This transaction is 100% risk free.
I will appreciate your cooperation.
Regards, Williams Ovie.
reply to: oviewilliams1986@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
