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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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 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.
- +22993058015 (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.
- globalspeedcouriercompany@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- 3aglobalspeedcouriercompany@gmail.com
Fraud email example:
From: "barrjameswilliams6 Gazeta.pl" <barrjameswilliams6@gazeta.pl>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:47:28 +0200
Subject: My Dear Good Friend,
My Dear Good Friend,
I have Paid the fee for your Bank Draft,but the manager of Eco Bank Africa
Plc Benin, told me that before the check will get to your hand,it will
expire. So I told him to cash the total sum of $2.5Million us Dollars and
all the necessary arrangement has be made for the delivering sum of
$2.5Million us Dollars in cash to your doorstep through GLOBAL SPEED COURIER
COMPANY PLC to delivery the package to your country.
You are required to provide your personal information for them to deliver
your package to your nominated addresss within 72hrs and YOU HAVE TO WRITE
LETTER OF APPLICATION TO THIS GIVING ADDRRESS BELLOW.
Contact Director: DR.MICHEAL FRANK.
EMAIL:globalspeedcouriercompany@gmail.com<EMAIL%3Aglobalspeedcouriercompany@gmail.com>
Tel:+229 9305 8015.
1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE
5.YOUR OCCUPATION
Yours Sincerely
BARR.JAMES WILLIAMS (ESQ)
Anti-fraud resources:
