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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:
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "harrisondesmond89@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: Abigal Obeng <abigalobeng2@gmail.com>
Reply-To: harrisondesmond89@outlook.com
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2020 22:21:46 +0100
Subject: For Your Kind Attention
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Dear Scam Victim,
As a matter of urgency this is to inform you of the on going United
Nations and ECOWAS scam victims rehabilitation scheme, You are been
listed and approved to receive a check payment sum of US$500.000.00 as
a scam victim within the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) region.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic and to avoid further delay the organized
authority decided to release all payments through either a bank draft
or ATM CARD to be delivery to your address within the next 7 days.
To ascertain you as a true beneficiary of this compensation, kindly
reconfirm your full details to avoid wrong payment;
(a) Your full Names:
(b) Your physical delivery address:
(c) Your direct telephone numbers:
(d) Copy of your valid identity:
Be guided therefore to get in touch with the payment supervisor ASAP
via his given information below to claim your payment and also
remember to collect your shipment delivery tracking numbers to enable you
track and monitor the check online to your address. Make sure you update me
as soon as you contact Harrison Desmond for records.
Payment Suppervisor:
Harrison Desmond
Phone/Fax: +228-976-803-59.
Email: harrisondesmond89@outlook.com
I await your reply as soon as you contact him.
Yours In Service,
Ms.Abigal Obeng (Secretary)
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Anti-fraud resources:
