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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:
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "cotonou" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: test@gotolong.com
Reply-To: mrsmithkujor18@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2018 15:18:52 +0100
Subject: <B><I>I am Mr smith Kujor from Cotonou 
I am Mr smith Kujor from Cotonou a french country here in west Africa
I am contacting you for assistance how to help me to invest my late boss fund from USA that
was kept in my possession with the security vault here in
Benin
that was died in fire incident at our office in aflao in Togo sum of $70.5MILLION USD cash contain in the box here in Cotonou west Africa and after the death of my boss i am
intention to invest this fund in your country in a profitable investment and real estate housing business over there,
I will offer you 35% from this total money sum of $70,5musd for your concern to be the beneficiary of the
money and for your time to arrive to Cotonou as owner for the claiming of the box of the money from the
security vault as owner and next of kin to my late boss because why i contact you is that i need to invest in your
country with this huge amount of money as partner and i am the only person aware that the fund is existing in
the vault office and this transaction does not involve in any upfront payment if you are interested the following
details will be needed.
I will need your full particular information with your scan passport for securing the
BENEFICIARY ID CARD to submit on your behalf to the security vault as the real owner of the box of the money in their
vault custody and also next of kin to my late boss and the vault only believe me whoever i introduce as owner of the box
after the death of my boss before your arrival to Cotonou to meet me face to face for final transaction and i have also
make arrangement with Eco bank where we will open a transit account in your name as beneficiary of the money go onward
transfer to any part of the world without any Government problem so the transaction is free from all crime and the
deal is between us know any other third party.
I will be very glad if you keep this transaction highly confidential
awaiting your quick reply
Mr.Smith Kujor
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