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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:
- "required fee " (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. )
- "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. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- "robert mueller" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
- "contact the diplomat" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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: "Robert Mueller" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <judithw177@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 09:36:47 -0700
Subject: Attn: Winner,
Attn: Winner,
This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly completed an Investigation with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you legally Won the sum of $800.000.00 Dollars from a Lottery Company outside the United States of America. During our investigation we discovered that your e-mail won the money from an online Balloting System and we have authorized this winning to be Delivered in a consignment Trunk Box at your home address.
Since the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been involved in this Diplomatic Fund delivery, you are now to be rest assured that this is legitimate and complete risk-free as it's our duty to Protect and Serve citizen's of the United States Of America. All you have to do is immediately contact the diplomat John Bruce for Immediate fund delivery today. He Just arrive United States today and he is already in New york with your consignment. We have confirmed that the amount required to procure the delivery permit will cost you a total of $125 Dollars. Go ahead and send the required fee to the ATTORNEY GENERAL via Western Union Money Transfer / Money Gram Money Transfer.
WESTERN UNION DETAILS.
Receiver's Name: Jerimiah Ellis.
Address: Merced, CA 95340.
Text Question: What For.
Text Answer: Delivery.
You are hereby been authorized/guaranteed by the Federal Bureau Of Investigation to commence towards completing this fund delivery today, as there shall be NO delay once payment for the Delivery Permit has been made to the authorized agent. Call the diplomat immediately: (313) 427-9075.
Once you have completed payment of $125 to the agent in charge of this transaction, contact me back so as to ensure your ATM Card and your consignment get to your rapidly.
FBI Director
Robert Mueller.
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Anti-fraud resources:
