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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:
- "million united states 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.
- safewaytravelsltd737@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Jerry Hansen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <safewaytravelsltd737@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 18:22:23 +0300
Subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahya_Jammeh
Nice to meet you.
My name is Jerry Hansen. I was the Financial Adviser to the immediate past President of Gambia by name Yahya Jammeh who was forced to exile
by the regional joint ECOWAS armed Forces due to his refusal to hand over power to his successor.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahya_Jammeh
Prior to his exile, he entrusted to my care the sum of Seventeen Million United States Dollars meant for his personal use.Considering
the circumstances surrounding his forceful removal from power,I ran to Ghana where I deposited the US$17 Million with a Security Firm and
to hide from spotlight.
I seek your assistance in moving the said fund to your care. After a successful transference of the fund to your care, I will join you in
your country to start a new life.I am ready to enter into the deal with you as my foreign partner at 50:50 sharing ratio. If you have
agreed to partner with me,
kindly reply via my private mail ID: < safewaytravelsltd737@gmail.com >.I shall provide you with details of the deposition.
Sincerely,
Jerry Hansen.
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Anti-fraud resources:
