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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.
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "money order " (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 company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
- 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.
- +447045799940 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- trace.expcourier@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "E-Courier Uk" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <trace.expcourier@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:18:36 +0100
Subject: Job Opportunity Reply ASAP!!
E-courier UK
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
+447045799940
This is a great opportunity for job seekers as we offer you a quality job.
Your task is to be a service representative for our company in the USA.
Would you like to work online from home and get paid weekly. EXPRESS
COURIER COMPANY needs a book-keeper in the United States, so I want to
know if you would like to work online from home and get paid weekly without
leaving or affecting your present job?
The company presently run in the UK and we need someone to work for the
company as a representative/book keeper in the United States. Our clients
make payments for our services every week,So we need
someone in the United States to work as our representative and assist us
in processing the payments from our clients and he/she would be paid a
weekly salary.
NOTE: ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS RECEIVE THIS PAYMENTS FROM OUR
CLIENTS ON BEHALF OF OUR COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES, DEDUCT
YOUR WEEKLY PAY AND FOWARD THE BALANCE TO THE COMPANY
This means you will be handling payments from our clients there and of
course you will be according in this order,10% of any payment you receive
will be your pay.
Now this is what you need to know and be sure it is scam free.Our clients do
not send checks or money order as authorize by the banks in the USA and
also in the UK.
Our client will only be making cash deposit to you that way you will be sure it
is real money.
If you are interested send your contact details in the order to this email:
trace.expcourier@gmail.com
Full Name:
Address:
State:
Zipcode:
Phone(direct phone number):
Age:
Marital Status:
Copy of your Resume
Hope to hear from you Asap
Regards
Morgan Moore
Personnel Manager
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Anti-fraud resources:
