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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "certificate 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 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. )
- "security keeping 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 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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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.
- fedexde01@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Joanna Benz" <mrs.joannabenz3@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: mrs.joannabenz33@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2009 13:39:55 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Your Package
Greetings
I have been waiting for you since to contact me
for your Confirm able Bank Draft of
$800.000.00 United States Dollars, but I did
not hear from you since that time. Then I went
and deposited the Draft with FED EX COURIER
SERVICE, WEST AFRICA , I travelled out of
the country for a Months Course and I will not
come back till end of December. What you have
to do now is to contact the FED EX
COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know
when they will deliver your package to you
because of the expiring date. For your
information,I have paid for the delivering
Charge, Insurance premium and Clearance
Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is
not a Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist
attack in your Country.
NAME:.....................................
AGE:......................................
SEX:.......................................
ADDRESS:...............................
PHONE:...................................
OCCUPATION:.........................
COUNTRY:...............................
Again, I would have paid that but they said no
because they don't know when you will contact
them and in case of demurrage.You have to
contact the FED EX COURIER SERVICE now for
the delivery of your Draft with this information
below:
Contact Person: Mr. Daniel J. Blunt
Email Address:fedexde01@hotmail.com
Telephone:+2340838049684
there and know when it will get to your address.
Let me repeat again, try to contact them as
soon as you receive this mail to avoid any
further delay and remember to pay them their
Security Keeping fee of $250.00 US Dollars for
their immediate action.
You should also let me know through email as
soon as you receive your Draft.
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Joanna Benz
Anti-fraud resources:
