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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- 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.
- bankeco571@yahoo.com.ph (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: luc john <igboobata@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: luc john <bankeco571@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 11:28:37 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam,
 Dear Sir/Madam,
This office writes to notify you that you have 4Million 5hundred thousand dollars credited in your name and is currently floating in EcoBank-Benin Republic. The Fund which Originated from Unpaid Contract/inheritance is overdue to be released to you. You are listed among those whose unpaid fund has been approved for Payment through EcoBank-Benin Republic.
Under the Stipulated Guideline of our Service, Any amount of money that has been found in the International Financial Data Base waiting to be transfer without claims after the submission of every payment report shall be confiscated and forfeited to the Government Treasury if not claimed within a reasonable period.
You are hereby advised NOT to remit further payment to any institution in respect to your Transaction as your fund will be released to you directly from EcoBank and any action contrary to this instruction is at your own risk.
As a matter of fact, you are required to Deal and communicate only with EcoBank for the immediate release of your Unpaid Contract/Inheritance fund.
I will need you to Email me your details as stated below
Your Full Name:Your Home Address:Direct Phone No:
Once i receive the information from you, i shall verify and forward it to Ecobank for immediate release of your fund to you. Ensure that you write back to me as soon as possible otherwise our office shall have no other option but to carry out the confiscation process.
Yours Sincerely
luc john+229 68976229EMAIL(bankeco571@yahoo.com.ph)Resident Representative in BeninINTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
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Anti-fraud resources:
