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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:
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "lagos" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mike Obidi <consulmikeo@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mikeobidi@outlook.com
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 17:55:10 -0800
Subject: Dear senior doctor
Sir.
With due respect Sir, I humbly solicit you to tolerate my message as I
know it will be a big surprise to you but out of provocation of what
heartless politicians are doing to my nation, prompt me to take this
bold step as stated below.
I am working with Ifex Express Courier Company Limited, Lagos, Nigeria
and I am attached to international dispatching wing.
Please note that this very information is top confidential.
I discovered few months back that my boss is doing private deal with
top politicians, using presidential immunity conveying billions of
dollars overseas for the heartless politician’s customers.
Now we have two trunk boxes each containing US$25million on delivery
process to your continent and I have decided to divert these
consignments to country as I am very much sure the criminal politician
is not ready to find the consignments since he knows that what he is
doing is illegal.
Therefore, I am asking for your sincere cooperation to receive me and
these consignments as I assure you of my ability of privately changing
the documents to your name and address as the final recipient and
divert the consignments to your home and I will give you 30% of the
total money for helping me to achieve this goal.
Please understand my situation as I stated above and forgive me for
contacting you without your permission because I am hard-pressed and
tired of my boss and fraudulent politicians which my endurance gets to
its end about their cheat.
This exercise will not cost you cent since what I need is your
truthful moral assistant and I sincerely guarantee you 100% success of
the delivery.
Please I wait for your very urgent reply and advice.
Yours faithfully
Mike Obidi
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