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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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Younes Zouhar <morafoulera@gmail.com>
Reply-To: officefile554@yeah.net
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2021 02:02:29 -0800
Subject: From Godwin James
(I. M. F) CENTRAL OFFICE
SENIOR RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE
AVENUE PAPE JEAN PAUL II
COTONOU (BENIN)
REF: - REWOLVGNN82010
ATTENTION: FUND OWNER,
THIS OFFICE NOW UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY YOU DID NOT WANT TO COMPLETE
THE PROCESS IN REGARD TO THIS TRANSACTION OF YOURS. WE ARE SURPRISE TO
RECEIVE A MESSAGE FROM UNKNOWN WOMAN MRS. DONNA MARIE GUSS THIS
MORNING WHO CLAIMS TO BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SHE EXPLAIN TO THIS
OFFICE THAT YOU HAVE AN AUTO ACCIDENT ON THE 20TH OF LAST MONTH ON
YOUR WAY BACK FROM OFFICE AND AFTER TAKING YOU TO SO MANY HOSPITAL’S
YOU DID NOT MAKE IT,
SHE ALSO WENT AHEAD AND EXPLAIN TO THIS OFFICE THAT BEFORE YOU PASS
AWAY THAT YOU INSTRUCTED HER AND TO CONTACT THIS OFFICE SO THAT SHE
WILL PAY ALL THE NEEDED NECESSARY FEE REQUIRED REGARDING TO YOUR
TRANSACTION TO ABLE US CHANGE THE OWNERSHIP NAME IN YOUR DOCUMENT TO
HER NAME SO THAT THE PAYING BANK WILL TRANSFER THE TOTAL FUND SUM OF
$6,7 MILLION UNITED STATES DALLAS SIX MILLION SEVEN HUNDREND THOUSAND
USD SUCCESSFULLY INTO HER BANK ACCOUNT AS YOU CAN SEE BELOW:
BANK NAME: WELLS FARGO
BANK ACCOUNT 6464449591.
ROUTING NO 121000248.
SWIFT BIC.WFBIUS65
PLEASE FOR YOUR INFORMATION THIS OFFICE IS WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM
YOU AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE IF YOU ARE ALIVE. BUT IF WE
DID NOT HEAR FROM YOU IN REGARD TO THIS MESSAGE WE WILL HAVE TO
CONFIRM THAT MRS. DONNA MARIE GUESS IS SAYING THE TRUTH AND THIS OFFICE
WILL INSTRUCT THE PAYING BANK TO RELEASE THE TOTAL FUND INTO HER BANK
ACCOUNT,
THANKS
GODWIN JAMES
RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR BENIN
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Anti-fraud resources:
