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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:
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "ecopayunit2014@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: ECOWAS <ecopaymentunit2014@haniya-aziz.com>
Reply-To: ecopayunit2014@outlook.com
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:40:08 +0000
Subject: RE-PAYMENT ALART
ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)
Northumberland Avenue
Cotonou Benin Republic
Tel: +22968906115 or
+234-817332734
E-mail :
ecopayunit2014@outlook.com
ATTN:
REF: REDEMPTION OF 1st ECOWAS BOND PAYMENT
2014 SERIE 14:
THE ECOWAS ANNOUNCE THAT THE WEST AFRICAN 1st ECOWAS BOND PAYMENT 2014
SERIE 14 ISSUED ON 20TH April 2014 WILL BE REDEEMED IN FULL ON 21
January 2014,ALSO THE FIRST HALF YEAR INTEREST WILL BE PAID .
BOND HOLDERS,CONTRACTORS/INHERITANCE PAYMENT WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED
THEIR PAYMENT OR INDIVIDUAL NOTICE FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THEIR
PAYMENT. AS THESE PAYMENT WILL RELEASED THROUGH CERTIFIED TIME DRAFT,
PLATINUM MASTER CARD (ATM) OR BY CASH PAYMENT. AS THIS DECISION WAS
TAKEN TO GUIDE AGAINST FRAUD,WHICH HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED THAT A LOT
PAYMENT RECEIVERS HAS BEEN DECEIVED THROUGH EUROPEAN AND AMERICA
BANKS.AS THERE WAS A LETTER SENT BY YOU FOR CHANGE OF AN ACCOUNT.
THEREFORE,KINDLY RE-CONFIRM YOUR FULL INFORMATION TO THE DEPOSITORY
SERVICE PAYMENT SYSTEM DEPARTMENT OF ECOWAS FOR IMMEDIATE APPROVAL OF
THE PAYMENT IN YOUR FAVOR. AS THIS HAVE TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
PAYMENT GUIDELINE.
REGARD,
BOBBY SULE
FOR ECOWAS.
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