joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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:

Fraud email example:

From: "peter john" <peter.john81@ig.com.br>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 12:13:31 +0200
Subject: Barrister Peter John.MY DEAR GOOD FRIEND,PLS CONTACT GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES


Barrister Peter John.
09 BP 2501 Akpakpa Dodomey,
Cotonou Republic Du Benin.
4nd AUST 2008

DearFrieend,

MY DEAR GOOD FRIEND,PLS CONTACT GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE PAID THE FEE FOR
YOUR CHEQUE DRAFT. AND I WENT TO THE BANK TO CONFIRM IF THE CHEQUE HAS
EXPIRED OR GETTING NEAR TO EXPIRE AND MRS SANDRA MATTHEW THE DIRECTOR OF
CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (BCEAO) TOLD ME THAT BEFORE THE CHEQUE
WILL GET TO YOUR HAND THAT IT WILL EXPIRE.SO I TOLD HIM TO CASH THE
US$950.000.00 US DOLLARS TO CASH PAYMENT TO AVOID LOSTING THIS FUNDS.

HOWEVER, ALL THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT OF DELIVERING THE US$2.5MILLION US
DOLLARS IN CASH WAS MADE WITH GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD. IN
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC, MRS SANDRA MATTHEW THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL BANK OF
WEST AFRICAN STATES (BCEAO) COTONOU HAVE TO CASH AND PACKAGE THE SUM OF
US$950.000.00 US DOLLARS IN CASH FOR ME. THEN HE ALSO AGREED TO HELP ME TO
REGISTERTHE CONSIGNMENT BOX WITH GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD.
INFACT I'M HAPPY THAT EVERY MOVEMENT I MADE GOES NORMALLY.

AS FOR OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD. THEY
PROMISED THAT YOUR CONSIGNMENT WILL LEAVE THIS COUNTRY ON MONDAY NEXT WEEK,
BUT THE DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD. SAID THAT
THEY NEED YOUR CONTACTS INFORMATIONS TO ABLE THEM MEET UP WITH YOU
IMMEDIATELY THE DIPLOMAT AGENT ARRIVED TO YOUR COUNTRY. PLEASE WRITE A
LETTER OF APPLICATION TO THE DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN DELIVERIES DEPARTMENT
ADDRESS BELOW.

ATTN:REV.CHAD MERCY
TEL: +229-93482374
EMAIL: (gm_couriercompany2007@yahoo.fr )

PLEASE, SEND THEM YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO ENABLE THEM LOCATE YOU
IMMEDIATELY THEY ARRIVED IN YOUR COUNTRY WITH YO.
THIS IS WHAT THEY NEED FROM YOU.

1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3. YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4. YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
5. A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE

NOTE.GLOBAL MAX COURIER SERVICES COMPANY LTD.DON'T KNOW THE CONTENTS OF THE
BOX. I REGISTERED IT AS A BOX OF FAMILY VALUABLES. THEY DON'T KNOW IT
CONTENTS IS MONEY. THIS IS TO AVOID THEM DELAYING WITH THE BOX. DON'T LET
THEM KNOW THAT IS MONEY THAT IS IN THAT BOX. MORE SO BE INFORMED THAT THIS
IS A GLOBAL MAX DIPLOMATIC DELIVERY AND NOT ALL GLOBAL MAX STAFF ARE AWARE
OF THE DELIVERY ONLY THE DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN DELIVERIES DEPARTMENT. DO
CONTACT HIM ALONE DIRECTLY ON HIS EMAIL( gm_couriercompany2007@yahoo.fr )
YOU CAN CALL THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY WITH THIS LINE: +229-97530722

THANKS AND REMAIN BLESSED.
REGERDS BARRISTER PETER JOHN

Anti-fraud resources: