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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:
- "insurance fee " (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. )
- "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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- +229934137171 (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.
- info_royalcouriercompany@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: hilljohn4045@zipmail.com.br
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:55:15 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?CONTACT=20ROYAL=20COURIER=20COMPANY=20BENIN=20REPUBLIC?=
(JOHN & COUNSELORS AT LAW)
06 BP 1409 AKPAKPA DODOMEY
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
Attention Dear,
I have Paid for the delivery fee for your Cheque Draft.but the manager of
Eko Bank Benin told me that before the check will get to you that it will
expire.So i told him to cash $800,000.00 all the necessary arrangement of
delivering the $800,000.00 in cash was made with ROYAL COURIER COMPANY.
Be inform that there are some documents to be secured.The only fee you
have to send to them is $85 usd which will serve as the insurance fee and
claims of affadvite to enable them deliver the parcel to you immediately.
Do contact them and let me know when you have recieve your fund, below is
the needed information to enable them deliver your fund to you
immediately.
Contact: Dr.Odiriga Mike
Director of the Royal Courier Delivery Company Benin Republic.
E-mail:(info_royalcouriercompany@yahoo.fr)
Phone number (+229-93413717)
1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE
5.CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS
Do let me know immediately you receive your consignment that consist your
fund that i deposited in the Royal Courier Company so that we can share
the joy togerther.
BEST REGARD
BARR.JOHN HILL
Anti-fraud resources:
