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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:
- "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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- mrdrichard19@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Michael Owen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <excelsecuritiescompany@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:05:37 -0700
Subject: GOOD NEWS
Hello Beloved how are you doing today. Its good to write you onces again after a long time. I wanted you to know that the funds was released from the bank. And the funds is now in New Jersey in USA at the present time. The funds are now lying with the diplomat who brought the funds from Africa to USA. The diplomat doesn’t know the content of what is on the consignment he brought to USA. On the documents that were given out to you he was told the consignment contains industrial items.
When contacting him don’t let him know that the consignment contains
Money, which he had brought to USA. We had to do it this way because
Its more easy. Why its also done this way is because if the
Money comes through a wire transfer the USA government will take almost
40% of the funds which we don’t want that.
You will be contacting the diplomat for the delivery of the consignment
to you. Below its his contact information’s. You have to keep trying the number till you get him ok.Please call Mr Don Richard to get your funds.
Name: Mr. Don Richard
Email: mrdrichard19@gmail.com
Phone:+12018302305
When contact him you send him your address were he will be delivering the consignment because presently at this time he is in New Jersey in USA . You give him a call. He will explain better. Its important you give him a call.
>From Mr Michael Owen
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Anti-fraud resources:
