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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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: MRS MARY JOHN <officedepartment8@gmail.com>
Reply-To: MRS MARY JOHN <johnuderah@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2015 05:50:56 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Your Fund At Post Office
DEAR BENEFICIARY.
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT THERE IS A BANK DRAFT IN THIS
OFFICE
DEPOSITED BY Ministry Financer Benin Republic ON THE 10TH OF
JUNE
2013. YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS ATTACHED TO IT AND IS TO BE
POSTED TO
YOU.WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT US FOR YOUR
CONFIRMABLE
BANK DRAFT WHICH CONTAINS THE SUM OF $970.000.00uSD UNITED
STATE
DOLLARS AND SOME VITAL DOCUMENTS.
SO KINDLY GET BACK TO THIS OFFICE(REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE
BENIN
REPUBLIC) TO AVOID
FRAUDULENT ISSUES CONCERNING IN THIS SERVICE.
CONTACT MR.TUNDE JOHN.
YOU ARE TO CONFIRM AND PROVIDE TO US YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS
BELOW.
YOUR FULL NAME..........
YOUR COUNTRY............
YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS.....
YOUR DIRECT PHONE.......
NOTE: THAT YOU ARE TO PAY FOR THE STAMP DUTY FEE OF
$78USD.YOU ARE
ADVISE TO SEND
THE STAMP DUTY FEE THROUGH WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM TO
THE POST
OFFICE WITH THE
MANAGER'S NAME BELOW AND FORWARD THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO
THE POST OFFICE.
FOR IMMEDIATE STAMP DUTY OF YOUR BANK DRAFT.
HERE ARE THE WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM PAYMENT INFORMATION
YOU WILL
USE TO SEND
THE MONEY TO THE POST OFFICE.
Receiver Name......IKE UDE
Country......Benin Du Republic
City....Cotonou
Question....for what
Answer.....duty stamp
AMOUNT.....$78USD
NOTE:THAT EVERY CLAIMS HAS AN EXPIRYING PERIOD OF FOURTEEN
WORKING
DAYS (14DAYS) SO
YOU HAVE DO THAT VERY URGENTLY TO AVOID EXPIRATION
REGARD'S
MRS MARY JOHN
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Anti-fraud resources:
