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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:
- "stamp duty" (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. )
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier service" (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.
- ecobankplc640@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: ECO BANK PLC <factfile181@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: ECO BANK PLC <ecobankplc640@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:08:10 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: YOUR ATM CARD FROM ECO BANK PLC
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Having review all the obstacles and problems surrounding the transfer of your (USD$2.860,000.00)Two Million Eight Hundred and sixty Thousand United States Dollars into your account and your inability to meet up with some charges leveled against you due to the past transfer options, We the Board of Directors (ECOBANK PLC) has ordered our Foreign Payment Remittance Unit to issue you a CORPORATE VISA CARD(ATM CARD) where your payment will be uploaded and today we got notice that your Payment has been uploaded into CORPORATE VISA CARD, only waiting for you to provide the name and address that will place on the card for immediate delivery.
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MOST IMPORTANT: Please send us your current contact details and delivery address immediately you get this message.
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YOUR FULL NAME:__________________
YOUR HOUSE ADDRESS:______________
YOUR HOUSE PHONE:____________
YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER:______________
NATIONALITY:__________________
___
YOUR OCCUPATION:_______________
 A COPY OF YOUR ID===============
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Email those information to Dr Bankole Benson with this email address as stated below,They will ask you for $99.00 for shipping and stamp duty of the card to your location before the departure of your package, It will cost you only $99.00 for Courier service shipping and stamp duty fee.
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Contact Person informations.
Name:DR BANKOLE BENSON.
E-MAIL:(ecobankplc640@gmail.com)
TEL:+234-7012-410-598
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Thanks
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Barr.Adaobi Okafor
Secretary
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Anti-fraud resources:
