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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 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:
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- stevenokoli1@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: FEDERAL MINISTRYOFFINANCE <federalministryoffinance930@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: FEDERAL MINISTRYOFFINANCE <stevenokoli1@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 08:51:15 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE NEEDED
FROM THE PRIVATE DESK OF
CHIEF STEVEN OKOLI
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
ABUJA _LAGOS NIGERIA.
GOOD DAY TO YOU,
I AM MR STEVEN OKOLI,THE CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN
CONTRACT/INHERITANCE DEBT RECONCILIATION DEPARTMENT OF FEDERAL MINISTRY
OF FINANCE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
I WILL LIKE TO DO BUSINESS OF MUTUAL BENEFIT OF US D$19.2MILLION WITH
YOU IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND TRUST WORTHY.
ON THE COURSE OF MY NEW APPORTIONMENTAND INVESTIGATION OF FILES IN MY
TABLE I DISCOVERED ONE OF OUR FOREIGN DEBTOR WHO HAS THE SAME SURNAME
WITH YOU BUT OUR INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT HE IS LATE NOW AND DID NOT
LEAVE ANY NEXT OF KIN TO THE FUND HENCE I CONTACT YOU FOR THIS AND IF
YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY FOR MORE INFORMATION
AND QUICK ACTION.
PLEASE IF THIS INTEREST YOU CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE
EMAIL NO stevenokoli1@yahoo.com FOR SECURITY REASONS.
NOTE THE REASON WHY I AM CONTACTING YOU IS BECAUSE I CAN NOT CLAIM THIS FUND
ALONE MYSELF WITHOUT SOME ONE FROM YOUR COUNTRY WHICH IS THE ORIGIN OF
THE LATE BENEFICIARY OF THE FUND.
ALSO IF THIS INTEREST YOU WE WILL SHARE THE FUND 60/40
I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU
CHIEF STEVEN OKOLI
 stevenokoli1@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
