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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:
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "certified bank draft" (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.
- +22993867962 (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.
Fraud email example:
From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:19:32 +0200
Subject: Contact urgently
*Dear Beneficiary,
Contact urgently, the Foriegn Payment Control Unit in at this email: (**
fpcunit@mail.ru* <fpcunit@mail.ru>*) for immediate payment of your overdue
sum of $12.8Million USD. feel free to call the office any time on this hot
line.+229-9386-7962*
*You are advised to re-confirm YOUR NAME......, ADDRESS........, and PHONE
NUMBER ......and indicate your preferred payment option (ie. KTT Wire
Transfer, Eletronic Online Transfer, Certified Bank Draft or ATM VISA
CARD).*
*Upon your re-confirmation, you payment CODE will be given to you and will
also be forwarded to our payment point in Benin Republic for your instant
payment.
This is the latest instruction from Mr. President, Chief Yayi Boni
(GCFR) Benin Republic and the World Bank African Integrated.
The only Money that you are going to pay to them is only $195 Dollars which
they will use to obtain the Affidevit Of Funds Onwership from the Federal
High Court Of Benin Republic . *
*Let me know as soon as you receive your Funds so that we can share the joy.
*
*Thanks.*
*philip kin
*
Anti-fraud resources:
