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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:
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: PROF JAMES FRIMPONG
Reply-To: <jamesfimp11@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 2015 15:09:05 -0500
Subject: partnership,
Attn: Kindly Re-confirm This To Me. The sum of $8.5 million out of your ove=
r due total sum has been approved for payment through ATM cash card system =
after all attempts to pay you through bank, and diplomatic courier failed. =
The approved sum has been programmed into the ATM cash card which will be d=
ispatched to you through your address upon reconfirmation. We have made sev=
eral attempts to contact you and this is the 3rd and perhaps the last email=
to you in respect to this matter. Meanwhile, we received a power of attorn=
ey from one JOHN GRIMLEY from USA purportedly issued by you asking us to ch=
ange the fund beneficiary to his name hence we are seeking for your confirm=
ation as soon as possible. To this end, you should Kindly Re-confirm these =
information to me. (1) Your Full Names:- (2) Address:- (3) Your Phone Numbe=
rs:- (4) Age:- (5) Occupation:- NOTE: The actual fees for shipping your ATM=
card is just $490 nothing more and no hidden fees of any sort! Upon receip=
t of payment the delivery officer will ensure that your parcel will be sent=
within 24 working hours. Because we are so sure of everything we are givin=
g you a 100% money back guarantee if you do not receive payment/package wit=
hin the next 24hrs after you have made the payment for shipping. Yours In S=
ervice, Prof James Frimpong. Tel: +234-9094362333
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