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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.
- 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:
- "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. )
- "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.
- oce_bkplc001@yahoo.com.cn (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Helen Egobia <lindawilliam044@superposta.com>
Reply-To: oce_bkplc001@yahoo.com.cn
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:17:36 +0800 (CST)
Subject: YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS
FROM OCEANIC BANK PLC.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC BRANCH.
ADDRESS:RUE 44771 TOKPA AVENUE.
Good day to you today.
This is to notify all our customers that we are now offering a special bonus for the year 2011 which started today being the 29th day of Septemeber 2011.
It is a great news to you today because you are now allow to pay only $65usd to reactivate your Atm Master Card instead of the formal price which is $175usd for us to deliver your Atm card to your address.
We want to use this great opportunity to inform you also that the bonus last for a week after which we shall stop the bonus and anyone who did not meet up with the payment,his payment will be diverted to federal Government account and you should bear it in mind that when it is diverted to federal Governemnt account that you will lose your funds forever and you cannot blame us because you have been given the opportunity to receive your funds which you could not meet up before because of the charges.
So therefore,this is your great opportunity to receive your $1.5Musd that is here with us by sending the $65usd via western union office as soon as you receive our message.Note that this is the last bonus for the year 2011 and also the last notice concerning your funds after which your funds will be diverted to federal Governemnt account.
use this Address to send the $65.00 below this information okay.
1. Receiver Name :=======MR.EMOS S. CHIKE
2. Country:==========BENIN REPUBLIC.
3. City============== COTONOU
3. Question=============OUR ZIP CODE?
4. Answer:=============00229
5. Amonut:=============$65.00
Contact us via this email below as soon as you send the $65usd so that we can immediately send your Atm card to you without any delay.
CONTACT PERSON: MR DANIEL BENSON
E-MAIL: [oce_bkplc001@yahoo.com.cn]
Caution:Please you should stop answering any message that is not from this office because we have detected that they are many impostors using the name of Oceanic Bank to extort money from ours customers by telling them that they are our agent.Beware!beware!!beware!!!.Make sure you forward such message to us whenever you receive it because they are dangerous.
I wish you good luck.
Yours in service
Mrs Helen Egobia
Oceanic Bank Public relation officer
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