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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "certificate 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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "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)
- 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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- deplomaticplc@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: BENSON GODWIN <ofice015@tim.it>
Reply-To: deplomaticplc@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2017 08:37:46 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: YOUR ATM CARD WORTH $8.5million ARRIVED IN JFK INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT SUCCESSFULLY?
ATTENTION
YOUR ATM CARD WORTH $8.5million ARRIVED IN JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
SUCCESSFULLY?
I AM DIPLOMAT MR. BENSON GODWIN AS about my successful arrival in
JFK International Airport new York city united state of America?
with your ATM VISA CARD worth $8.5million USA dollars which I have been
instructed by UPS DELIVERY COURIER COMPANY to be delivered to you.
The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up to prove to them that
the fund is no way related with drug, I have presented the papers and handed it
over to them and they are very much pleased with the papers I presented, but
the only thing that is still keeping me here is the CUSTOM CLEARANCE
CERTIFICATE which is unknown to our company UPS, one of the Airport Authority
has advise that we get the delivery certificate so that I can clear your
parcel immediately and make my delivery successful. I try to reason with them
and they stated the atm delivery certificate is compulsory that we most obtain
it before they can permit me to be on your home address and i have just spoken
with the director of Ups Company an hours ago,
he told me it will cost you just $150 Dollars only to get the certificate from
the federal custom office Benin republic the certificate will enable me get to
your house successfully without any interference, they scanned the atm and
found out that the fund is 100 % spend able and accepted by any bank in the
whole world. As I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery
I have to take care of in Austria. Here are the papers backing the funds
together with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your atm bank were you will
with draw your first payment from the card successfully with these papers. I
have one more vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy when
I reach your house as that it is the diplomatic rules, such as authorization to
deliver,
You can direct the certificate fee to our Head Office in Benin Republic UPS
COURIER COMPANY as they will get the certificate here for you and they are
entitled to receive and make any payment to foreign countries authority.
DIPLOMATIC MR. BENSON GODWIN Here is my cell phone to contact me. on my email
address (deplomaticplc@yahoo.com)
HERE IS OUR CASHIER PAYMENT INFORMATION WHERE YOU CAN SEND THE FEE THROUGH
WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM TRANSFER.
Receiver=========MIKEL AZIE
Country=========BENIN REPUBLIC
City=========COTONOU
Amount=========$150US Dollars
Text Question=========NEEDED
Answer: =========URGENT
SENDER NAME=========
MTCN=========
after sending the payment to Our Head Office in Benin Republic UPS COURIER
COMPANY email me the payment information such as mtcn
number also senders name text question and answer to enable me reach them with
the payment details so they can get the CERTIFICATE obtain and Fax it to me one
hand so I can make my next step to your address today.
(Here Is Your ATM CARD Unlocking CODE
(AWB33XZS)
Urgent Response is needed please
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