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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:
- "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. )
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- 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.
- barristerjoyce_maduome@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS <lujadi@verizon.net>
Reply-To: josh_parkway@blumail.org
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:25:28 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). track your consiognment box (397242782) and confirm that your consignment is arrive to USA on (08/03/2010) after our investigation we decided to contact.Follow my instruction and receive your consignment box within 4hours.
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Charlotte Douglas International Airport
(CLT)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Address: 5501 Josh Birmingham
Parkway, Charlotte, North Carolina (NC), 28208, USA
Airport Code:
CLT
From Charlotte
Douglas International Airport (CLT).
Read this massage
very well and understand the reason why your consignment box did not delivered
to you.
On 05/09/2009
diplomatic agent Mr. Eric Maxwell was stopped here in Charlotte Douglas
International Airport with consignment box contains $15.500.000.00Usd Mr. Eric
Maxwell informed us that the consignment box is from Hall Mark express courier
company Cotonou Benin Republic and we ask him for insurance certificate and
international delivery permit which he stated that he is not with the
certificate.
Then we decided
to send him back until the insurance certificate and international delivery
permit is obtained. This year on 08/03/2010 we find out that the same amount
is send through TNT Express - Express consignment box Delivery.
We contact EFCC
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC to verify the score of this consignment box. After there
investigation we was made to understand that the 15.500usd was your compensation
unit inheritance fund from Benin republic ECOWAS..
For more
information type (Www.Tnt.Fr)
put code (397242782) and click tracking and confirm that your consignment box is
here in Charlotte Douglas International Airport . All we require from you before
the consignment box will be delivered to you is sum of $720.00Usd for
the insurance certificate and international delivery permit this is all we need
from you.
Be informing that
we made arrangement with F.B.I and border protection that your consignment will
be delivered without any stoppages.
So all you need
to do is to send the money with name Agent cashier Hall Mark Courier Company
below through western union money transfer or through money gram.
Receiver
Name................. Udealor M. Ekene
Country................ Benin Republic
City.................... Cotonou
Text
Question............ To Whom
Answer................ Ekene
Amount Necessary
.......$720.00Usd
Once you send the
money contact her and forward the payment information to her and the requested
certificate will be procured in your name and forwarded to you viaw mail, to
enable us complete the delivery by our agent within 4hours to your door step
once .Contact her with information below make sure that before you contact her
the fee is ready send because that is the only thing holding your consignment
here to delivered to you within 4hours.
Contact
Person barrister Joyce Maduome
Email Address
barristerjoyce_maduome@yahoo.fr
Telephone No;
+229 99724004
Office Line No;
+229 99724005
All arrangement
has been made and immediately you contact us your delivery will be done in next
4hour.
Mr. Josh Birmingham Parkway
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