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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
- drjmszekedeh@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: James Zekedeh <drjameszd@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2015 00:02:40 +0100
Subject: Hello dear!
Hello dear!
It is my pleasure to bring you into a noble business that will benefit
us both. I am Dr. James Zekedeh, the contact awarding committee
chairman in Republic of Togo. The ECOWAS
Commission awarded a contract amount the sum of US$69.4Million (Sixty
Nine Million, Four
Hundred US Dollars) to China construction company to reconstruct all
ECOWAS connected
road in Republic of Togo. Which my ministry spears headed the
contract. The company that
executed the contract has been completely paid, but we have over
invoice amount the sum
of US$27Million (Twenty seven million US Dollars) which I and my
colleague in the office
want to transfer outside the country with your assistance/corporation.
We have in mind
to share this total amount equal with you. If this offer interests you
revert to me for more details on how to execute this deal. Note that
this is a risk free deal because I will be here to be guiding you on
what to do until the fund arrived to your bank account. Reply me
through this my private email (drjmszekedeh@hotmail.com ) so that we
can commence immediately.
Regards.
Dr. James Zekedeh.
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Anti-fraud resources:
