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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:
- "demurrage " (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- 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.
- mr.rawlingsmarc.anthony2022@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Alphosius Zala" <nassazichris2018@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.rawlingsmarc.anthony2022@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2023 23:29:03 +0100
Subject: CONTACT THE COURIER SHIPPING COMPANY WITH YOUR FULL DETAILS FOR YOUR DELIVERY.
ATTENTION;
THIS IS TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT WE HAVE CREDITED YOUR TOTAL SUM
OF $6.500,000.00 INTO AN ATM VISA CARD AND WE HAVE DEPOSITED IT WITH
ATLAS CARGO AND LOGISTICS COURIER EXPRESS SHIPPING COMPANY TO DELIVER
IT TO YOU. WE PAID ALL THE NECESSARY CHARGES SUCH AS COMPANY
REGISTRATION AND DELIVERY CHARGES OF YOUR ATM VISA CARD.
THE ONLY MONEY YOU WILL SEND TO THEM IS THEIR SECURITY KEEPING FEE OF
$100.00USD, WHICH WE TRIED TO PAY BUT THEY COMPLAINED THAT THEY DON'T
KNOW WHEN YOU WILL CONTACT THEM FOR THE DELIVERY AND THE DEMURRAGE
MIGHT HAVE INCREASED BY THEN. I DEPOSITED IT ON 15/02/2023. THEREFORE,
CONTACT THEM NOW WITH YOUR FULL NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER.
ATLAS CARGO AND LOGISTICS COURIER EXPRESS SHIPPING COMPANY
BRANCH MANAGER: MR. RAWLINGS MARC-ANTHONY
EMAIL: mr.rawlingsmarc.anthony2022@gmail.com
TRY AND SEND THEM THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE OF $100.00 TODAY TO AVOID
AN INCREMENT OF THE FEE. INDICATE THESE CODES TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE
THE RIGHTFUL OWNER
OF THE ATM CARD PACKAGE.
SHIPMENT CODE: 33DF6
REG NO: KDR44Q
SECURITY CODE: 5673
HERE ARE THE PAYMENT OPTIONS YOU CAN USE TO SEND THE $100 SECURITY FEE
TO THEM BY WESTERN UNION/MONEY GRAM OR SEND ANY OF THE GIFT CARDS THAT
WILL BE EASY FOR YOU TO PURCHASE.
ITUNES CARD.
STEAM WALLET CARD.
I WILL WAIT TO RECEIVE THE GIFT CARD WITH YOUR ADDRESS FROM YOU.
THANKS
DR. ALPHOSIUS ZALA
MD/CEO, UBA.
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Anti-fraud resources:
