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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.
- This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
- 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.
- godwinjohn12@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Sir Sylva ThankGod <sylvffathankgod@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 14:31:16 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Compensation Fund
  Hi My Dear,    I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from paraguay.  Presently I'm in Paraguay for the new investment projects with my own share of the total sum. meanwhile,I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed.  Now contact my secretary in benin Repuclic for your own shere of the compesetion, his name is Mr GODWIN JOHN E-mail ( godwinjohn12@gmail.com )or Tel +229 99 11 42 52, ask him to send you the total sum of ($1.8million usd) which I kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts you made to assist me. I appreciated your all efforts at that time so feel free and get in touch with my secretary Mr GODWIN JOHN  and instruct him where to send the amount to you. With best regards.Sir Sylvffa ThankGodÂ
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Anti-fraud resources:
