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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- 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.
- upsbenin76@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Adam Mike <nebbroforeignoperation8@gmail.com>
Reply-To: upsbenin76@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:32:18 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Friend:
Dear Friend:
I have Paid the fee for your ATM MASTER CARD and deposited it with UNITED POSTAL SERVICE for immediate delivery. So All the necessary arrangement of delivering the ATM MASTER CARD worth sum of $2.500,000.00 was made with UNITED POSTAL SERVICE COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC (UPS). What you need is to contact them with your home and office address etc to ensure the delivery take off either today or tomorrow.
Here is their contact information:
ATTN: DR GODWIN NWAKAS
TEl: +229 9847 9532
E-MAIL: ( upsbenin76@yahoo.com )
Please Send them your contacts information to able them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your ATM MASTER CARD . This is what they need from you.
1.YOUR FULL NAME.
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR COUNTRY.
4.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
5.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
6.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE.
Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid mistake on the delivery. I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake on the delivering. Your ATM-PINCODE will be given to you upon your response that you have received the ATM CARD and I will not give you the PINCODE through Internet due to there are many hacker in the world.
Contact UNITED POSTAL SERVICE today but don't let them know that the Envelope contents is ATM MASTER CARD. Thanks and God bless you and your family.
Best Regards
Mr Adam Mike
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Anti-fraud resources:
