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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- 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.
- paulkodjo04@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Paul Kodjo <paulkodjo05@gmail.com>
Reply-To: paulkodjo04@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:12:30 +0200
Subject: thanks and hope to hear from you very soon
Attention
How are You? hope you are doing very good . I am General Paul Kodjo .
I am A United Nations Diplomat. I was the former Chief Security
Officer in charge of Ecowas Strong Room, where all the funds moving in
and out of the African Continent is being circulated.I have the sum
of ($55.5musd) which I want to use in setting up a investment in your
country under A Joint
Venture . I will like you to receive this funds into your account to
enable me come over to your country as Your partner please kindly
confirm your due acceptance to this offer by giving me detailed
business opportunity which can be verylucrative in your country to
enable me give you more details about the project and myself as well .
when I hear from you,i will send to you all My identities for you to
know me very well
before we get started
thanks and hope to hear from you very soon
General Paul Kodjo
Pls contact me to my private mail:paulkodjo04@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
