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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:
- 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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "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 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.
- courier_service_company8@yahoo.it
Fraud email example:
From: jimpeters18@freenet.de
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:38:47 +0100
Subject: CONTACT GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE COMPANY.
Attn: Dearest friend,=0AGood day, How are you today? I am writing to
inform you that I have Paid for the delivery fee for your Cheque
Draft.but the manager of Eco Bank Benin told me that before the check
will get to you that it wil expire.So i told him to cash $950,000,00,
All the necessary arrangement of delivering the $950,000,00, in cash was
made with GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE COMPANY.=0ABe inform that there are some
documents to be secured.The only fee you have to send to them is $125
USd which will serve as the insurance fee and claims of affadvite to
enable them deliver the parcel to you immediately. =0ADo 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.
=0ACOMPANY NAME: GLOBAL COURIER SERVICE COMPANY=0ACONTACT DIRECTOR IN
CHRAGE: JAMES ADAM =0ACONTACT EMAIL: courier_service_company8@yahoo.it=0A1=
Anti-fraud resources:
