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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "atm card department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "security keeping 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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "million us dollars" (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. )
- "cotonou" (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.
- 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: ATM CARD OFFICE <imfdep@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ATM CARD OFFICE <diplomatic_director@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:01:27 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATM VISA Card Department.
ATM VISA Card Department.
Delivery Location DHL COMPANY SERVICES.
(UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA) Benin Republic.
Urgent Attention,
You Are Expected To Call Us 9147335121
once you receive this mail of our services to you okay.
This mail is coming from the desk of Board of directors of Standard
Credit UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA Having reviewed all the obstacles and
problems surrounding the transfer of your (US$12.6 Million Us Dollars)
and your inability to meet up with some charges levied against you due
to the past transfer options.
This Bank Board of Directors has ordered our Foreign Payment
Remittance Unit to issue you a CORPORATE VISA CARD so your total funds
has been mandated into the ATM VISA Card functional in any AUTOMATIC
Machine around you in your country of resident and this card is
bearing your name as the beneficiary meanwhile your daily withdraw
limit is $10,000 dollars only also you can pay your bills online with
the card and this card will also allow you to do transfer to your
local bank account yourself through our online banking services.
For your information we have eletrical tested your Corporative ATM
Visa card to confirm its functional which is okay so Your ATM Visa
Card and instructions on how to use including the necessary documents
backing your funds which was mandated into the ATM Card has been
package and delivery arrangement has been made with DHL Company
regarding the shipment of the ATM VISA Card to your home address
immediately.
For your information the delivery charge has been paid from your funds
before it was mandated into the cooperative VISA Card and the DHL
Company were supposed to have shipped your packaged cooperative VISA
CARD to your address but they insisted that you must re-confirm to
their delivery team your home address once again to avoid any
delivering error.
MOST IMPORTANT: Due to the content of the package, DHL mandated that
before your package will be shipped, A Tax/Stamp Duty MUST be procured
according to the New Customs Creed and the importance of such Document
is to ensure a hitch-free delivery and the amount to pay for this is
just US$105 (One Hundred And Fifty United States Dollars) only.
Therefore please kindly reconfirm your personal information to the DHL
Company Immediately and send this amount which we could not deduct
from your funds for your ATM Card to be deliver to your this weekend
as planned.
(1) Full Name :
(2) Country/City/State/Name :
(3) Delivery Address:
(4) Occupation :
(5) Marital Status/Age/Sex :
(6) Age :
(7) Telephone/Fax Number :
(8) A Copy of Your Passport/ Drivers Licenses :
Contact Person::Dr.Jerry Coleman
(Shipment officer)
DHL COMPANY SERVICES
Phone number::9147335121
Country Department::Benin Republic
Kindly send the $105 dollars via Western Union Money Transfer to DHL
Company when contacting them to ensure immediate shipment of your VISA
Card to you immediately they confirm the payment information of the
needed amount of $105 Us dollars from you today okay.
Info below!
Receiver Name...Dom OBI
Destination..BENIN REPUBLIC
City..Cotonou
Test question..When?
Answer..Today
Amount..$USD105
Note. That DHL Courier Company will immediately deliver the ATM VISA
Card/Document packaged as parcel to you without any delay once the fee
is paid. Because This registered it with them for immediately
delivery, Contact DHL Company today with the stated informations above
to avoid increase of their Security Keeping fee and let me know once
you received your ATM VISA CARD.
Thanks,
Regards
Dr.DANNEL HILLARY
Operational officer
ATM Card department
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