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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: "oronto john" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <orotojohn1@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2016 22:55:20 -0500
Subject: Waiting for your response
Dear Entrepreneur
I am Mr.Oronto John,younger brother to the late Mr. Douglas Oronto,the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Research,Documentation and Strategy and i pray this letter meets you well without any embarrassment as i want strictly a neutral person to Nigeria hence my google search for a business man from outside Nigeria.to avoid blackmail at the long last.
As the case is now in Nigeria regarding the persecution of former ministers who served under president Jonathan by president Muhammadu Buhari who claims that $20billion was removed from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company(NNPC) account by the Jonathan aides,i have decided to quickly solicit for an assistance from any investor or business person from outside Nigeria and neutral to Nigerian issues to assist me in investing about $350m that was kept in a SECURITY COMPANY in our neighbouring West African country by my late brother who was President Jonathan's kinsman and trusted strategist.
The money was taken out during one of the president's trip to the country towards the electioneering time which president Jonathan lostto President Buhari as he suspected he might loose the election.
As it stands now President Jonathan do not have papers to these deposits made by my brother but i do as the papers were kept in my house by my late brother for security reasons and now that he is no morePresident Jonathan have quietly asked me and my late brother's wife of the whereabouts of the documents but i claimed that i do not know and he kept quiet for the fear of being exposed and for president Buhariwho is persecuting his Minister not to come after him as he has also started the prosecution of his (Jonathan's wife lately..)
Now if you are willing ,ready and able to move these funds to your country for investment am assuring you that 30% of it will be for you and then 5% set aside to sort out any expenses that might be incurred in the course of moving the Funds out of Africa and i hope and pray you can invest very effectively into hospitality and Real Estate in your country for me and you in all sincerity without letting me down. If so then please get back to me so that we meet and i hand over all the documents and introduce you to the firm for the immediate release of the funds to you as the beneficiary as i will arrange it as at the time of its deposit is was tagged as belonging to a foreign contractor and deposited by my brother who bear the same surname as me and i am his next of Kin so have the right to claim the funds and have informed the Security Company already that am coming for it soon.
Regards,
ORONTO John.
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