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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:
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- 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.
- +447045743709 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "JOHN COKER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <diplomatjohncoker2010@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:33:07 +0100
Subject: YOUR PACKAGE IS READY .......URGENT REPLY......JOHN COKER
Attn:
I am Diplomat John Coker , mandated to deliver your package to you in your country of residence.The Package came from the remittance department of the American Paycenter and you were made the beneficiary of this package and they enlisted my assistance in delivering the Package to you.
I am presently at Heathrow International Airport in the United Kingdom and will make arrangements to leave for your country to deliver the Package to you as soon as you have to reconfirm the following information so as to ensure that I am dealing with the right person.
1.Full Name..................
2.Residential Address....................
3.Age...................
4.Occupation....................
5.Direct Telephone Numbers......................
After verification of the information with what I have on file,I shall contact you so that we can make arrangements on the exact time I will be bringing your package to your residential address.Send the requested information so that we can proceed.
For Further Clarification, Call me on my direct line: +44-7045743709
Best Regards
Diplomat John Coker
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Anti-fraud resources:
