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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "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.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- 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.
- johnmac@pobox.sk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: tosterne@secrel.com.br
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:18:02 -0300 (BRT)
Subject:
Attn:
I’m diplomat John T.Maxwell; I have been trying to reach you on your
telephone about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrival
in John F. Kennedy International Airport with your two boxes of
consignment worth $1.2Musd which I have been instructed by ECOWAS COURIER
DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you.
The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove
to them that the fund is no way related with drug nor fraud money, I have
presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much pleased with
the paper’s I presented, but the only thing that is still keeping me here
is the airport delivery Yellow Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one
of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the delivery Yellow tag so
that I can exit the airport immediately and
make my delivery successful to you.
I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery Yellow tag will
cost us just $95 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as
that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without any
interference, they scanned the boxes and found out that the fund is 100 %
spend able and accepted by any bank in the whole world.
Please try and reach me with my international roaming number + 229
98251280 as I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery
I have to take care of in Bangkok. I will provid you the papers backing
the funds together with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank
were you will deposit the fund successfully with these papers. I have more
vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy when I reach
your house as that it’s the diplomatic rules, such as authorization to
deliver.
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get it here for
you and they are entitled to receive and make any payment to foreign
countries authority. get back to me in my private email; (JOHNMAC@pobox.sk
)
Send the $95 through western union office Or Money Gram with this
informations below.
Receiver Emeka John.
Country Benin Republic .
Amount $95 US Dollars
Text Question. What Colour?
Answer ….Green.
Send the payment informations such as the MTCN and the senders name once
you make the payment
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Anti-fraud resources:
