419 scam: JohnWilliam <edemdavid280@gmail.com> Dear Friend

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- esqjohn5@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: JohnWilliam <edemdavid280@gmail.com>
Reply-To: esqjohn5@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:11:21 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend

Dear Friend,

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope
this mail finds you in an excellent condition of health. But if you do
not remember me, you have received an email from me in the past
regarding a multimillion dollar business proposal which we never
concluded. I am using this opportunity to inform you that this
multi-million-dollar business has been concluded with another Greek
Merchant who financed it to a logical conclusion.

I thank you for your great effort towards our unfinished transfer of
funds into your account, due to one reason or the other best known to you
at that time. Due to the effort, sincerity, courage and trustworthiness
you showed during the course of the transaction, I want to compensate
you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of One Million Eight
hundred and fifty thousand united states dollars.

I have left an international certified bank draft for you, worth about
$1,850,000.00 cashable anywhere in the world. My dear friend, please
contact my Togolese Lawyer,Barrister John William so that he will send the
draft to you without any delay. At the moment, I'm very busy here in
Greece, trying to invest my own share of the funds with my new partner.
Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is
from the bottom of my heart.

CONTACT:Barrister JohnWilliam
EMAIL:esqjohn5@gmail.com

Therefore, you should send him your full Name, telephone number and
contact address for his reference and ask him to release the draft to
you because i have instructed him.

Thank you in anticipation for your past efforts and God bless you.

Best Regards,
MrDavid Johnson

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam