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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "million us 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +22993795035 (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.
  • atmcostumerservice@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "ANDRE WILLIAMS" <andrewilliams100@ig.com.br>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:47:01 +0100
Subject: Compliments....


Compliments....

How are today together with your family i hope every body is fine, you did
not come down to my country here Benin Republic to pick your money (
$1.2million us dollars ) in a Bank draft as we fixed and i did not heard
from you since that time as we arranged then I went and deposited the Bank
Draft with THE DIAMOND BANK PLC BENIN REPUBLIC here in Benin Republic
because I travelled to saudi arabia to visit my family.

I have arranged with them to make your payment to you with their new ATM
MASTER CARD which you can use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine
around the globe at the maximium rate of $5000 us dollars (Five thousand us
dollars) per day. You have to contact the DIAMOND BANK PLC BENIN REPUBLIC
with your full contact informations such as follows. YOUR FULL
NAME...............YOUR HOME ADDRESS.............YOUR
COUNTRY........................YOUR PHONE NUMBER..............A COPY OF YOUR
PICTURE............... However, kindly contact the below person who is in
position to release your ATM MASTER CARD.

REV MR NELSON MOKA (DIRECTOR),
ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT DIAMOND BANK PLC BENIN REPUBLIC.
MOBILE : +229-937-950-35
EMAIL; atmcostumerservice@hotmail.com

make sure that you contact ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT DIAMOND BANK PLC BENIN
REPUBLIC as soon as possible to enable them quicken the processing of your
ATM CARD.

Do Let me know as soon as you receive your ATM CARD.

Thanks

Andrea Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam