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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:
- 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:
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "JOHN ODEN MR" <ffsdoffice04@makler-helfer.de>
Reply-To: <dcffsdcbn70@me.by>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 05:38:45 -0800
Subject: YOUR FUND AND MY ARRANGEMENT TO ASSIST YOU
DEAR BENEFICIARY,
WE ARE TO NOTIFY YOU THAT AFTER WE MET YESTERDAY WITH THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA AND NEW CENTRAL OF NIGERIAN GOVERNOR , WE CAME TO A CONCLUSION THAT WE HAVE TO PAY YOU THE SUM OF $10M DOLLARS AS YOUR OVER DUE FUND. THE PAYMENT WILL COME TO YOU VIA DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE, IT IS A PITY THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD EXTORTED MUCH MONEY FROM YOU BUT I HAD PERSONALLY INTRODUCED A DEVICE THAT CAN BE POSSIBLY USE TO PAY YOU ALL THIS MONEY WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DOCUMENTATIONS, BUT IT MUST BE KEEP SECRET BECAUSE IT WILL BE ARRANGED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC PREFERENCE CARRIAGE SCHEME’S.I WILL FIRST DISPATCH TWO BOXES THAT WILL CONTAINED $12M AND OF $100 BILLS.
BEST REGARDS
JOHN ODEN MR.
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Anti-fraud resources:
