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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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Anita Douglas <godwinartwork821@gmail.com>
Reply-To: samsonwillima721@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:42:55 -0700
Subject: ATM CARD With Registration Code (EGC76820982155)
Attention Dear,
Your fund has been packaged in a metal box since you can not afford to
receive it in the past via western union/money gram due to the
transfer charge fee and I decided to load the $15.8million USD in an
ATM CARD which I registered with the FIRST FLIGHT DELIVERY Service as
a box that contained African clothes and jewelries.
I want you to contact the FIRST FLIGHT DELIVERY Company to know when
they will deliver your Consignment Box with registration code
(EGC76820982155)
I have paid for the delivering charges and insurance Fee. The only
money you have to send to them is their Security keeping fee which is
$50 Dollars only to receive your ATM CARD I would have paid it for you
but they said no just because they don’t know when you will contact
them so please feel free to contact them now to avoid delay and
demurrage.
Full name
Home Address:
Telephone:
Age:
Sex:
Occupation
Country:
City:
A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE.
I have given them your address. And you have to reconfirm it to them
again to avoid any mistake on delivering the ATM CARD to you, remember
that I only told the director the content and he advised me not to
disclose the content to any body including the delivery agent just for
the safety of the fund in the box make sure that you use this code as
the subject of the email you are sending to them GBE009GB) Because
this will be an evidence to proof to them that you are the correct
owner of the Package.
Sincerely,
Mr Anita Douglas
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Anti-fraud resources:
