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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million 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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: James Anthony <rev.dranthonyjames@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dadiplomaticagentemailbox906@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 17:57:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: It Is Very Urgent---Call me on This Number: (706)925-5615 Immediately!!!
Good-Day!!!
Dear Sir/Madam,
How are you doing today together with your entire families? I hope all is find and right with you all? If so thanks and praise be to almighty God whom made it possible that you and I is alive to see this day, I am diplomatic Agent Mr. Anthony James; I have been trying to reach you on your telephone about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrival in your Country with your consignment worth $2.5 Million Dollars which I have been instructed by DHL Company Benin Republic In Con-junction with the Board Director Of Western Union Payment Centre Benin Republic to be delivered to you, Please be advice to call me on this Number (706)925-5615).Immediately you received this email message
The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to them that the fund is no way related with Drug nor Fraud money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much pleased with the paper’s I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me here is the Airport Delivery Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the Delivery Tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery successful Direct to Your House Address. I try to reason with them and they stated the Delivery Tag will cost us just $185.00 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without any interference. They scanned the boxes and found out that the fund is 100 % spend able and accepted by any bank in the whole world.
So the only thing still keeping me here is the airport delivery tag which is to be secured from our head office in Benin Republic and send it over here to be placed on the consignment boxes so as to enable me proceeds to meet with you. So you are hereby advised to send the $185.00 through western union or money-gram to the information provided to you and get back to with the pickup details so I can forward it to our head office for them to pick up the money in other to secure the tag and forwarded it direct over here to be placed on the Consignment so as to enable me proceed to meet with you. I hope everything is well understood.
Below is the information to send the $185.00 for the tag to be secured and sent over to me here.
Â
RECEIVER NAME:………EDOCHIE ONYIBOR
COUNTRY……………BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY:…………..COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION:………..A
TEXT ANSWER:………….B
AMOUNT EXPECTED:…$185.00 USD.
SENDER NAME……..
MTCN……..
Please try and reach me on this Number: (706)925-5615 as I cannot afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to take care of in United Kingdom and Jamaica. I will be waiting to hear from you today so as to enable me complete with the delivery to your home address. As I have more other delivery to make before going back to my country.
Yours faithfully
Mr. James Anthony
Diplomatic Agent
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