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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:
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- fedex_joseph@yahoo.co.id (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr JOSEPH Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fedex_joseph@yahoo.co.id>
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2013 09:57:21 -0500
Subject: Form FEDEX
FED-EX INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS COURIER SERVICE
Head Office :70 Int'l Airport Rd,
Mafoluku,Lagos Nigeria
Tel no:+234-8138-9227-42
E-mail:-fedex_joseph@yahoo.co.id
Attn
I received your mail together with the infromation required from you, well your bank draft worth of $2.5 million will be delivery to you as soon as you pay the dispatching fee of $750 to enable us proceed and under 2hours we confirm the payment we will issue you the tricking number for you to monitor your package and know where it have reach ok
Please attached are the package and my official ID card
Here is the receiver’s information of the officer in charge:-
Name:-JOSEPH CHIDI NWANKWO
Address:-Lagos Nigeria
Question:-what colour?
Answer:-blue
Note that your draft has being approved and immediately you pay the fee the tracking number to monitor your packing will be issue to youok
I am waiting to hear from you together with the payment information you made attached
Best regards
Mr JOSEPH Williams
Director Fed-Ex Courier Company Plc
E-mail:- fedex_joseph@yahoo.co.id
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