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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:
- "required 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. )
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- fbi.service121@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Andrew G Mccabe <"www."@feel.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Andrew G Mccabe <fbi.service121@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2017 01:20:59 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Very Urgent
Federal Bureau of Investigation United States Department of Justice
Official Letter from the FBI Director Andrew G. McCabe
E-mail ID: fbi.service121@yahoo.com.
Very Urgent,
This is to notify to you that I resumed work to office last week back and i received update from United Nations High Commissioner António Guterres and he told me that there will be an International Flight tomorrow by 4pm and Mrs. Norman Ricardo will act as your diplomat and deliver the package to you which will take only 24 hours to get the package delivered. The actual fee was $300 but it was reduced to $$197 this morning to ensure that you received your package tomorrow.
Note: The package you will receive contain a Visa Credit Card which contain $20 Million Master Credit Card which contain $200,000 and a verified cashier check worth $3 Million with the required security document which was made in your name as the sole owner and it also include the security pin you will use to transact with both credit cards.
You suppose to receive your funds all this while but formal FBI director James Comey failed but this time you must surely get your funds successful as far as you comply with the instruction.
The funds are from the UN compensation/bailout funds for citizens of UN member countries and citizens of commonwealth Nations for poverty alleviation during this economic crunch and recession. The sum of $7BN was shared amongst 215 companies and individuals. You were awarded the fund for investment to ease the economic crunch and to be profitable and help others in need as a measure to ease the present economic hardship.
The sum of $147 is required to enable Mr. Paul Alor from the origin of your fund get a diplomatic package seal with tag or else the International Airport customs will not allow him to board the flight with the package and this diplomatic package seal with tag will be made in your name as the owner of the package.
There is no much time left and the fee need to be paid today to enable him board tonight flight and it will take 18 hours to get the package delivered to you. Send the $$197 charge fee and get your package delivered within 18 hours and this will be the only fee and last fee required from you toward this transaction.
So direct the $197 o the origin of your fund as listed below via western union money transfer / money gram money transfer or RIA.
RECEIVE NAME.......... Pasl kachi
COUNTRY ........... BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY ................COTONOU
TEST QUESTION:........IMPORTANT
ANSWER:.........TODAY
AMOUNT:.....$$197
MTCN ............................
SENDER NAME................
SENDER PHONE NO...............
SENDER ADDRESS...............
I am online waiting for your reply with the $$197 payment so that you will get your fund successful by tomorrow from the diplomat Mrs. Norman Ricardo. My working ID CARD is attached view it and locates to send the required fee now. E-mail me only at: fbi.service121@yahoo.com Tel.608) 535-1273
Director Andrew G Mccabe
Federal Bureau Of Investigation United State
Department Of Justice Washington, D.C. 20535
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