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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:
- "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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- dubeninministryoffinance@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Ali musa" <ali_musa003@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: dubeninministryoffinance@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:23:51 -0400
Subject: Attention
Attention
How are you today?. I received an information from the ministry of finance
this morning that your parcel with the MONEY therein has been called back due
to the delay in delivery to your MONEY.I was called by the minister this
morning and after some questions I was told that the international monetary
funds IMF is suspecting the diplomat in Spain and that the IMF have instructed
the government of this country to convert your total amount USD$60 Million
United State Dollars to be deposit into a bank here and advise you the
beneficiary to submit your account so that they will transfer the money by
wire transfer through bank to bank transfer.
I was told by the minister that the government of this country is having a lot
of problem with foreign beneficiary because of this MONEY delivery because a
lot of delivery company here have made away with foreigners MONEY and a stop
instruction has been giving last week and have instructed every MONEY to be
called back and deposit to a bank here for easy and safe bank to bank transfer
to each and every beneficiary.
I thank God because I was told that any beneficiary whom did not come for his
or her MONEY after three banking working days, the government of this country
will forward the money into our reserve account, but now that I got this
information I have told the minister that you are ready to receive your money
and I assure the minister that you will comply with the government and IMF
instructions since it will be easy and safe. Due be informed that I was told
that every interested beneficiary have just three banking working days to
comply with the directives of the transfer.
After my discussion with the mister this morning, he told me that you need to
contact their office for the approval of the transfer in your name before the
instructed bank will remit your money into your account without any further delay.
You are advised to contact the ministry of Finance through this information
below and due indict your transaction code as was given to me by the minister
this morning so that he will know the transaction you are contacting for.This
is your transaction code BIN58XX70K9
REPUBLIC DU BENIN MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Contact minister. Abu Kareem Issah
Tel phone number : +229-98218708
E-MAIL; dubeninministryoffinance@yahoo.fr
You are advised to contact the minister immediately as they are waiting to
hear from you so to approve your transfer today. You are advised to stop every
communication with any so call diplomat because your MONEY has been cancelled
and your money is now with the payment bank here.I believe this will be the
best way and easy to receive this money. Due update me immediately you have
contacted the minister because I will be monitoring this transfer and by what
I was told by the minister it will only take three banking working days for
their bank here to transfer
the money into your account in your country without any delay.
I am waiting to hear from you with good news that the minister has approved
your transfer. Due call the minister immediately or send them an email because
he is always a busy man so that he will attend to your transaction
MR. ALI MUSA
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