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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "express courier delivery" (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. )
- "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.
- 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.
- royal.customercare@deliveryman.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Bar.Williams cole" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <royal.customercare@deliveryman.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 23:19:29 -0600
Subject: Identification number..............CPEL/OWN /9877!!!
(WILLIAMS & COUNSELORS AT LAW)
25A HIGH LEVEL AVENUE KEREKOU
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
My dear Friend,
How are you doing ? I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick up your $850,000.00 Bank Draft but I did not hear from you since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with Courier Security Company here in Benin Republic, because I traveled to Iraq to see my boss and will not come back till next month end. I want You to contact the Courier Company to know when they will deliver your package bank draft to you.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 $85.00 Us Dollars to received your package don't be deceived by any body that is all you have to pay.
This is their Contact Address
MD.Adams Odiriga.
Director of the Royal Express
courier delivery company
Benin Republic.
Phone number +2296846008
E-mail;- (royal.customercare@deliveryman.com)
Also this is the registration number which I used to register your check bank draft with the royal courier delivery company.
Registration number................RCDC45012 EM
Identification number..............CPEL/OWN /9877
This is for easy identification of your package bank draft.Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the security keeping fee and also give them your contact delivering address to avoid any mistake on the delivering. Let me know immediately you receive your Draft.
Thanks.
Bar.Williams cole.
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