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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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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)
- if this interest you contact me on my privateemail no stevenokoli1@yahoo.com for security reasons and this must be in top secret for (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: FEDERAL MINISTRYOFFINANCE <federalministryoffinance930@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: FEDERAL MINISTRYOFFINANCE <stevenokoli1@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 11:48:58 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: URGENT 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 FOREIGNCONTRACT/INHERITANCE DEBT RECONCILIATION DEPARTMENT OF FEDERAL MINISTRYOF FINANCE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
I WILL LIKE TO DO BUSINESS OF MUTUAL BENEFIT OF USD$19. 2 MILLION WITHYOU IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND TRUST WORTHY.
ON THE COURSE OF MY NEW APPORTIONMENT AND INVESTIGATION OF FILES IN MYTABLE I DISCOVERED ONE OF OUR FOREIGN DEBTOR WHO HAS THE SAME SURNAMEWITH YOU BUT OUR INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THE BENEFICIARY 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 INFORMATIONAND QUICK ACTION.
PLEASE IF THIS INTEREST YOU CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATEEMAIL NO stevenokoli1@yahoo.com FOR SECURITY REASONS AND THIS MUST BE IN TOP SECRET FOR THE SACK OF MY JOB AND INTEGRITY
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 60/40I
I WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU
CHIEF STEVEN OKOLI
 stevenokoli@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
