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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:
- 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.
- 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.
- benakwesiomar@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Zion Hills Solicitors <zhills.council@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <benakwesiomar@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 11:14:17 +0100
Subject: Re:
Hello ,
compliment of the Day.
This is Benjamin Omar who contacted you few months ago in regards to fund transfer valued at $8.5million usd. Although we were unable to conclude due to the fact that you couldn't comply with the conditions of the Bank by coming down in person to follow up with the transfer process. in much anticipation i succeeded in convincing the management of the Bank about your busy schedules and it has agreed to facilitate the transfer by using one of their correspondent Banks in your region to transfer the fund as long as a Ownership Certificate is obtained in your names as beneficiary (next of kin) . You can now send your contact address, a copy of any valid Id and a direct phone number, the Ownership document will be sent to you for your onward delivery to their issuing Bank. Let me know you receive this mail and get back to me ASAP.
With Regards
Benjamin Akwesi Omar (Esq)
Zion Hills Solicitors
144 Avenue Van Vollen Hoven
Quartier Zone des Abassade
Benin Republic
benakwesiomar@gmail.com
Tel + 229 6818 0131
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Anti-fraud resources:
