joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +22993138744 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • fedexexpresscompanyltd055@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: johnben@freenet.de
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:10:10 +0100
Subject: CONTACT FedEx Express Delivery COMPANY Ltd


Good day

How are you today? I am writing to inform you that went to
the bank to confirm if the Cheque has expired or getting near to expire
and Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank told me that
before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told
him to cashthe$1,500.000 US dollar to cash payment to avoid losting
this funds.However, all the necessary arrangement of delivering the
$1,500.00 US dollar in cash was made with FEDEX EXPRESS COMPANY here in
Cotonou Benin Republic, Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust
Bank Cotonou have to package the sum of $1.500.00 US dollar in cash
for me.

Then he also agreed to help me to Register the Consignment
with FEDEX EXPRESS COMPANY. Infact I thank God very much for all the
movement I made, every thing goes normally. As for our agreement with
the FEDEX EXPRESS COMPANY they promised that your consignment will leave
this Country any moment from now ,But the Director of the FEDEX EXPRESS
COMPANY said that they need your contacts informations to able them meet
up with you immediately the Diplomat Agent arrived to your Country.


Please write a letter of application to the given address
below.
Director FedexExpressCompanyLTD
ATTN: WHITE HARRY
TEL:
+229-93138744
EMAIL: fedexexpresscompanyltd055@yahoo.fr

Please, Send
them your contacts information to enable them locate you immediately
they arrived in your country with your BOX .This is what they need from
you.

1.YOUR FULL NAME:
2.YOUR COUNTRY:
3.YOUR HOME ADDRESS:
4.YOUR
CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER:
5.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE:
6.A COPY
OF YOUR PICTURE
7.YOUR AGE

Please make sure you send this needed
infomation to the Director general of FedEx Express Delivery COMPANY Ltd
CHIEF WHITE HARRY with the address given to you.
Note. The FedEx
Express Delivery COMPANY Ltd don\'t know the contents of the Box. I
registered it as a Box of an Africa cloths. They don\'t know it contents
money. this is to avoid them delaying with the Box. don\'t let them know
that is money that is in that Box.I am waiting for your urgent response.
You can even call the Director of FedEx Express Delivery COMPANY Ltd
CHIEF WHITE HARRY with this line +229+93138744
Thanks and Remain
Blessed.

SECRETARY JOHN BEN



Unbegrenzter Speicher, Top-Spamschutz,
120 SMS und eigene E-MailDomain
inkl.
http://office.freenet.de/dienste/emailoffice/produktuebersicht/power/mail/index.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam