419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "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)
- "million united states 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)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
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.
- deliverycontact@atlas.sk (Atlas; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: mk3112@virginbroadband.com.au
Reply-To: deliverycontact@atlas.sk
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2017 13:41:30 -0700
Subject: Re: While contacting them, includes those information's to avoid any
further delays

Compliments of the day Friend,

Good day, How are you today? I am writing to inform you that I have Paid
the fee for your Cheque Draft. And I went to the bank to confirm if the
Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and Mr.Michael Chikwe the
Director of United bank for Africa told me that after all the delay
before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire.
So i told him to cash the USD$2.5 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS to cash
payment to avoid losing this funds.

However,all the necessary arrangement of delivering the ($2.5 MILLION)
UNITED STATES DOLLARS in cash was made with DHL COURIER COMPANY here in
Cotonou,Benin Republic.

Please write a letter of application to the given address below.

DHL COURIER COMPANY COTONOU, BENIN REPUBLIC.
ADDRESS: Lot No. 1/4 Patte 06 BP 1409 Cotonou, Benin Republic. west
Africa.
DIRECTOR NAME. Dr. Adams Haji
TELL PHONE +(229)99664779
EMAIL: deliverycontact@atlas.sk

SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01
DATE OF DEPOSIT: 4th/August/2017.

Please, Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you
immediately they arrived in your country with your consignment BOX.

This is what they need from you.

1.YOUR FULL NAME
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4.YOUR CURRENT CELL TELEPHONE.
5.A COPY OF YOUR ID CARD OR PICTURE

Thanks and Remain Blessed.
Mr. Ben Koffi.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam