joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +22995407007 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • priestfofana@yahoo.se (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Fofana=20Sankoh?= <priestfofana@yahoo.se>
Reply-To: fofana2sankoh@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 15:01:55 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: RE: WHY ARE YOU NOT REPLYING MY MAIL?


Jag har ny e-postadress!Skicka e-post till mig på denna adress: priestfofana@yahoo.se

Hello,


Having gotten your contact from your country's journal and because of the urgency of this mail.I want you to please receive for me at once the Amount of ($18,000,000 US Dollars in your Bank Account Abroad for safe keeping and Investment purposes. I am interested in investing this sum in your lucrative venture for a long and lasting joint business relationship with you.This huge amount will be wired to your Account for Foreign Investment purposes.All documents attached to this funds will changed into your name for safe keeping.I apologize if this mail does not suit your personal or business ethics.


The funds are available as genuine and will be released after you have shown proven interest in your response to this proposal.If you can assure me that you can guide me through the investment opportunities in your Country,after hearing from you,i will furnish you with more details on the next step forward. You will be expected to provi de the ideas and we will finance it with the funds that iam going to send to you. Also let me know about your Country's tax laws on investments in your Country.


Iam Fofana Sankoh,son of the late Sierra-Leonean rebel leader,Corporal Foday Sankoh.Iam here in exile as a political refugee seeking asylum in Cotonou the capital of Benin Republic(West Africa).Iam hiding here in Benin as a result of political persecution meted out to me back home in my country by the Sierra-Leone Government.After hearing from you,i will furnish you with more details on the next step forward.


Yours sincerely,

Mr Fofana Sankoh.

Tel:+229-95-407007

- Fofana Sankoh

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam