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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:
- "courier company" (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.
- 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.
- directaccess.ng1@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Message From FedEx Courier Company" <info@fedEx.org>
Reply-To: directaccess.ng1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:20:53 +0300 (EEST)
Subject:
Congrations,
We the FedEX Courier Company Worldwide Express,we are pleased to announce
to you as one of our company esteemed winners in our on going Fedex
Customer Reward Promotion for this fiscal year 2010.The board is Rewarding
her Esteemed Customer across the Globe with the cash sum of £270,000.00
GBP.The Cash is going Out to 14 Lucky Winners to Celebrate its Thirty-Nine
years of its existence as one of the most Patronize Courier Company.
Note that You do not need to pay for Delivery fee to us before delivery
your Parcel to you.
You are Require to provide the following Information for verification.
FULLNAME:
VALID TELEPHONE NUMBER:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
OCCUPATION:
Please Indicate if you have used FedEX As Your Postal Delivery Service
YES:
NO:
All details are to be forward to our regional manager.
Mr Reed Avarlos.E-mail:directaccess.ng1@gmail.com
You have seven working days to proceed with the claims of this reward
promo Ensure to contact the delivery department with the email address
given above and ensure to fill the above form as well to enable a
successful reconfirmation.
Yours Faithfully,
Helen Power .
FedEx Online Team Management.
All rights reserved. © 1995-2010
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Anti-fraud resources:
