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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:
- "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 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)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: United Nations Oversight Services <"www."@sweet.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: United Nations Oversight Services <shhadecoofficebceao@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2017 09:19:09 +0900 (JST)
Subject: DEAR VALUED BENEFICIARY,
DEAR VALUED BENEFICIARY,
You are welcome to United Nations Oversight Services. We are wishing you a Happy New Year and hope you will exploit and enjoy all the privileges and advantages that put us ahead.
I wish to inform you that we have made arrangement with the United Nations Delivery Agency to deliver your funds in cash to you and we want to get your consent before we proceed. Therefore, I wish to know if you are ready and willing to receive your funds in cash so that the United Nations accredited diplomat and the officials of the bank who will clear the funds from the customs and hand over funds to you is ready to depart. So we need your consent to enable them to proceed as your funds is already packaged.
We attached herewith copy of your packaged funds valued at USD$7.5Million Dollars for your perusals and consent to enable them proceed. As soon as you acknowledge receipt of this mail with your consent to enable the officials proceed, then your funds will be registered with the United Nations Diplomatic Agency for cash delivery so that your Yellow Tag will be issued by the United Nations to enable the officers proceed immediately. Reconfirm your mail delivery address so that we will finalize arrangement for the diplomat to leave with your consignment funds. Upon receipt of your response, we will forward you with the details information relating to this funds.
Thanks for your urgent response.
Yours Faithfully
Dr. James Patrice Aichotou
Head of the United Nations Overseight Services
Cotonou, Benin Republic
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Anti-fraud resources:
