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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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.
- benin_tnt_delivery@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mrs. Dawson Smith" <mrs.daws59@gtmail.com>
Reply-To: benin_tnt_delivery@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 08:27:04 +0530 (IST)
Subject: YOUR $4.2M IS READY TO BE DELIVER TO YOU
Dear Sir/Madam,
I want to inform you that all the fees for your funds $4.2M has been Paid
last month 28/5/2010 2:30 Pm afternoon because the manager of Universal
Banking & Finance Co, told me that before the pay cheque will get to you
it will expire. So i told him to cash the $4.2M DOLLARS, To deliver it to
you through TNT COURRIER SECURITY COMPANY and all the necessary
arrangement of delivering of the $4.2M DOLLARS in cash was made with TNT
COURRIER SECURITY COMPANY.
Contact the TNT COURRIER SECURITY COMPANY Manager Dr.Brown Scot on his
Email Bellow.
ATTN: Dr.Brown Scot.
Email: benin_tnt_delivery@hotmail.com
Do not hesitate to contact him as above today because your box was already
there for delivery.
Have a nice day with your family.
Mrs. Dawson Smith,
Chief Accountant,
Agro-Chemical Company.
--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
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Anti-fraud resources:
