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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "consignment " (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)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- 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.
- globalfinance@financier.com (Financier; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Paul Kofi <paulkofidr@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 15:37:48 +0000
Subject: URGENT REPLY
Dear Good Friend,
I am Dr Paul Kofi the managing director of Global Finance Company Ltd here
in Ghana Republic Of West Africa.
Our customer A FOREINGER is a Nationality of your country that is why i am
contacting you
so that you help me in the claims of his consignment deposit in our company
which is valued
at the worth of us$35m.
He was a mining contractor of gemstones in Africa and has worked several
years across the African countries.
His deposit is due for renewal but unfortunately we discovered that he and
the wife with the kid
died of coronavirus after visiting his home country.
We have also made several efforts through your country's embassy but his
given address could not be traced. That is why I am now contacting you to
assist me in the retrieval of this deposit as I present you to our company
as his distant relation or business partner because I could not personally
claim this deposit.
You are to receive 40% of the total fund after you receive this deposit
while I take 50% and 10%
shall be used in getting all your legal beneficiary documents so that we
successfully receive this
deposit.
Kindly send me your full names and address with your direct telephone
numbers.
I will advise you to open a zero new bank account where you receive this
funds as soon as we
receive it legally from the company.
You can write to me on my company email: globalfinance@financier.com or you
can call me on my direct telephone number +233275263193 for more
information.
Expecting your honest compliance.
Thanks
Paul Kofi
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