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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:
- "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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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.
- diplomaticagent685@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Williams Brown" <operaciones@seg.mecontuc.gov.ar>
Reply-To: diplomaticagent685@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2015 04:44:20 -0300
Subject: From diplomat Mr.Williams Brown;
Urgent Sms (3252688180) Or Email me back now
>From diplomat Mr.Williams Brown; Urgent Sms (3252688180) Or Email me back now
Attention Please
I’m diplomat Mr.Williams Brown ; I have been trying to reach you on your
telephone about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrival
in South san Francisco International Airport California with your two
boxes of consignment worth $12.300.000.00 USD which I have been instructed
by ECOWAS COURIER DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport
authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to them that
the fund is no way related with drug nor fraud money,
I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much
pleased with the paper’s I presented but the only thing that is still
keeping me here is the airport delivery Tag which is not placed on the
boxes, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the delivery
tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery
successful .I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery tag
will cost us just $75 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes
as that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without any
interference, they scanned the boxes and found out that the fund is 100 %
spend able and accepted by any bank in the whole world.
Please you can SMS me or call me on this my international line:
(3252688180) as I can not afford to spend more time here due to other
delivery I have to take care of in Bangkok. Here are the papers backing
the funds together with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank
were you will deposit the fund successfully with these papers. I have I
more vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy when I
reach your house as that it’s the diplomatic rules, such as authorization
to deliver.
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get it here for
you and they are entitled to receive and make any payment to foreign
countries authority.
Receiver Jim Chikara
Country Benin republic
City Cotonou
Amount $ $75US Dollars
Text Question. Urgently
Answer …. Needed
SENDER
I will be expecting to hear from you as soon as possible
Regard
Diplomat Mr.Williams Brown
You can SMS me or call me
(3252688180) ASAP
E-mail(diplomaticagent685@yahoo.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
