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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:
- "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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "courier company" (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 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.
- rev.d.williamson@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: " Dr. Michael Rudolf" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rev.d.williamson@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2016 20:53:09 +0100
Subject: Your Compensation Payment Has Been Approved.
Directorate of International Payments and Transfers
Debt Reconciliation Committee
United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) Switzerland.
PICK UP YOUR LOADED ATM CARD TODAY.
I received a call from Mr. Dr Richard Kreiss (Director, FedEx Courier Company ) this morning regarding your ATM DEBIT CARD value of $5.5 Million USD. This is a worldwide compensation for the current economic meltdown, compensation/contract/winning/inheritance payments as approved by the World Bank assisted project.
Your ATM debit card was returned to my office due to wrong delivery address provided to the FedEx courier company; and I have re-remitted the ATM card to the FedEx Courier Head office again. You are required to carefully fill your current information and forward it immediately. Don’t forget to Rev Denny Williamson on phone once you finish reading this E-mail for clarifications and immediate delivery of your ATM CARD.
YOUR FULL NAME:
YOUR HOME ADDRESS:
YOUR DIRECT PHONE
YOUR AGE/SEX:
YOUR COUNTRY:
YOUR OCCUPATION:
A SCAN COPY OF YOUR I.D CARD:
For your information, I have paid for the delivering charges of the ATM CARD again, you know what that means. The only money you are required to send to the Courier Company to complete the delivery directly to your designated Address to be provided by you is the sum of $447 dollars being the Security Keeping Fees of the Courier Company for the time they have secured our parcel.
Contact person: rev.d.williamson@gmail.com
Rev Denny Williamson.
Director: FedEx Foreign Delivery Department
TEL: 310-307-0867
Your Identification code is (ATM-CARD/407).
Kindly forward the courier's security keeping fee as directed as I have already paid the delivery charges. Payment should be made via Money Transfer in the name of:
the argent.
Please forward the MTCN, Sender names and address/direct telephone numbers to enable us proceed.
Thank you.
Sincerely.
Dr. Michael Rudolf
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Anti-fraud resources:
