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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:
- "stamp duty" (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. )
- 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.
- customercare.ups@post.com (Post; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Federal Bureau Of Investigation" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <georgevenizelos@mmc-static3.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:55:36 -0700
Subject: Federal Bureau Of Investigation
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
The New York Division
26 Federal Plaza, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10278-0004
Tel: 206-337-5523
Tel/Fax: 206-350-378
Website: www.fbi.gov
This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly completed an investigation with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that your packaged ATM CARD which UPS was conveying to your resident arrived JFK Airport and it was held by the US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.
According to our findings, Your ATM CARD was forwarded to the ATM Issuing Institution for proper verification on the authenticity and it has been confirmed that your ATM CARD is good and ready to be used.
On our conversation with Mr. Edward Bruce of US CBP this afternoon, he made us to know that they only required a Tax/Stamp Duty which MUST come from the country of orign of your fund which is the United Kindom.
You are therefore advised to contact the sender or UPS agent in United Kindom to help you get the Tax/Stamp Duty.
Mice Moro
Email: customercare.ups@post.com
Try as much as you can to get the Tax/Stamp Duty from United Kindom so that the UPS Agent can complete the delivery without any further delay.
We will be waiting for your update.
Assistant Director in Charge (Acting)
George C. Venizelos
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Anti-fraud resources:
