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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dumorrage" (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. )
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "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.
- finacial_trust_bankbenin@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: finacial_trust_bankbenin@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 16:47:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT DIRECTOR OF THE BANK IMMDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL OK
Dear Friend
I have been waiting for you since to send us the delivery fee so that i can be able to register your cheque so that it can be delivered you and i did not receive the fee so i went ahead to deposite the funds with financial ($.1,5million usd) but i did not heard from you since that time.Then I went and deposited the cash with trust_bankbenin here in (Benin Republic) because it has been in my office for a very long time after the courier company said that it has entered dumorrage time so since them the fund was return to my office?
I want You to contact the FINANCIAL BANK BENIN REPUBLIC to let them know when they will Transfer your fund and send this are the information they may need to transfer your funds to your account within 24 hours.
YOUR FULL NAME================
HOME ADDRESS==================
FULL BANKING INFORMATION.=====
NAME OF COUNTRY===============
BANKING ACCOUNT WERE YOU WANT THE FUND TO BE TRANSFER TO======
The only money you have to send to them is there security keeping fee/will also serve as the wire transfer fee, which is $175.00 Us Dollars to enable them wire the money into your account immediately without any delay.This is their Contact Address,
FINANCIAL BANK PLC BENIN REPUBLIC.
DIRECTOR TONY RUBBERT
EMAIL;(finacial_trust_bankbenin@yahoo.fr )
Phone number; (+229=93057927)
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the
security keeping fee.I gave them your transfering information but you
have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake on the transfering.Let the company know immediately you receive your into your account. You can use this information to send the fee,Receivers -----Name: Mr.Simeon Nwabenne
Country-------------Benin Republic
City........Cotonou
Test Question:------ Great
Answer:------------- powerful
Amount: ---------$175.00
senders name-------
Thanks.
SECRETARY GENERALLY
JAMES BEN
CONTACT DIRECTOR OF THE BANK IMMDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL OK
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