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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- mr.kekenibenjamin@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Kekeni Benjamin" <mme.mds2@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "Mr. Kekeni Benjamin" <mrkekenibenjamin@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 20:51:04 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: LETS HAVE A FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP WITHOUT GREED.
 Hello,
With all due respect i am sending you this mail without any malicious intent but for every benefit to both of use and wish you will assist in making it a reality.
My name is Mr. Kekeni Benjamin from Central Afrique and the head of the corresponding bank here in Benin republic, i will not disclose further information's to you but will go straight to my reason of contacting you.
We have a client deceased who has a fixed deposit that runs into millions of dollars with us that matured last month and we have tried to get in touch with any of the next of kin in from his file and business partners without success and the head office in central Afrique has demanded the fund be paid to an escrow account of the BCEAO before confiscation.
You sharing the same last name with him is an advantage to come in as his next of kin, once you agree i will finalize the paper works, this is absolutely risk free while any risk is 100% on me, but am assuring
you that their is no risk if you will follow my instructions. I will give you further details once i get your affirmative response and hope our genuine relationship will give us success and break through without greediness.
Regards,
Mr. Kekeni Benjamin
Direct email: mr.kekenibenjamin@yahoo.com
Direct M. No.: +22966081923
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Anti-fraud resources:
