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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)
- "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 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "John Clay" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ward.john64@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2014 07:45:47 -0700
Subject: From Heathrow Airport
>From Heathrow Airport
Attn: Consignee,
An abandoned shipment from Air Cargo Services West Africa was brought to our facility today via J. F. Kennedy International Airport. The scan result revealed Bundles of $100 Bills estimated to the tune of $10.5Million Dollar in galvanized metal trunk boxes. The consignment was abandoned because the Content was not properly declared by the consignee as money rather personal effect to avoid diversion by the delivery Agent. The details of the consignment are tagged on the Trunk box.
The details of the consignment, including your name and the official documents from United Nation office in London are tagged on the Metal Trunk box, so you are required to kindly reconfirm the bellows details.
1. Your Name.
2. Home phone & Cell Phone:
3. Home delivery address:
4. Occupation.
5. Email Address:
6. Any form of Identification either Drivers’ license or International Passport.
Send the required details to me by fax or this email.
The following is the nature of the suitcase.
Type: CONSIGNMENT BOX
Height: 170cm, Width: 150cm, Depth: 130cm
Weight: 220KG.
It is required that you contact us so that l will direct you on the Procedure of normalization and finally the deployment of Transguard to deliver to your doorstep. They are specialists in this field and very much geared to provide the security it needs to your doorstep home or abroad.
Best regards,
John Clay
Heathrow Airport
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Anti-fraud resources:
