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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:
- 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. )
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "million united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- postageunitboard@post.com (Post; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Post =?iso-8859-1?b?T2ZmaWNlrg==?= <postageunitboard@pop.com.br>
Date: Sat, 07 May 2011 02:48:35 -0300
Subject: REGULAR MAIL POST
=A0 =20
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =
Post Office -Cotonou Benin Rep.
Address: 20/22=A0=A0=A0 Hospital=A0 Route
Cotonou Benin=A0=A0=A0 Republic
Tell:=A0=A0 (00229) 98124803
Telex : 53001 / 53120a
ATTENTION: MY DEAR ,
FROM REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC.
DATE:7th/MAY/2011. THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT THERE IS AN ATM CARD IN THIS=
OFFICE DEPOSITED BY A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION BODY ON THE 3RD OF MAY 2011.
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS ATTACHED TO IT AND IT WILL=A0 BE POSTED TO YOU. WE=
HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT US FOR YOUR CONFIRMABLE ATM CARD WHI=
CH CONTAINS THE SUM OF $1.5MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS AND SOME VITAL DOC=
UMENTS. WHOEVER, KINDLY GET BACK TO THIS OFFICE(REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE B=
ENIN REPUBLIC) TO AVOID FRAUDULENT ISSUES CONCERNING IN THIS SERVICE. CONT=
ACT PERSON:
MR.OKA JOHN
(POSTAGEUNITBOARD@POST.COM)
Telephone (00229) 8124803
YOU ARE TO CONFIRM AND PROVIDE TO US YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS BELOW.
YOUR FULL NAME..........
YOUR COUNTRY............
YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS.......
YOUR DIRECT PHONE........
YOUR ID....................
NOTE: THAT YOU ARE TO PAY FOR THE=A0 STAMP DUTY FEE THE SUM OF $50 USD.YOU=
ARE ADIVSE TO SEND THE STAMP DUTY FEE THROUGH WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM=
=A0TO THE POST OFFICE WITH THE MANAGER'S NAME BELOW AND FORWARD THE PAYMEN=
T INFORMATION TO THE POST OFFICE EMAIL
FOR IMMEDIATE STAMP OF YOUR POSTAL PAPER WORK AND THE IMMEDIATE POSTAGE TO Y=
OU.
Receiver Name.. Okechukwu I .Osita =20
Country........Benin=A0 Republic
City........Cotonou
Question....=A0colour
Answer..... Green =20
AMOUNT......$50 USD
FINALLY YOU SHOULD BEAR IT IN MIND THAT EVERY CLAIMS HAS AN EXPIREING DATE=
(7) WORKING DAYS .MEANHWILE YOU HAVE TO DO THIS VERY URGENTLY TO AVOID EX=
PIRATION.
THANKS, =20
YOUR BEST REGARD =20
SAMUEL BEN.
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