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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:
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "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.
- dhl_compay@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.JOHN BROWN" <james_ben111@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: dhl_compay@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2011 21:08:52 +0100 (BST)
Subject: DHL International Benin
DHL International Benin
Lot No. 23 Patte D'Oie
03 BP 2147Cotonou
E-mail:( dhl_compay@yahoo.com )
Website;www.DHL.com
Atten:
We have a Parcel contained an
International Cashier Bank Draft/Cheque worth the sum of ($3.8
millionUSD) which will be deliver to you at the moment as long asyou
provide all the requirement information to the DHL Courier Dlivery
Express
company before the parcel can be shipped to your own residential address in your country.
Further more,Your e-mail /Home address
was among the luckiest package that will be send through Federal
Express Delivery Service as soon as contact them so what you have to do
right now is to contact the Director of DHL Delivery Department
for immediate dispatch to your residential address.
CONTACT PERSON;DR.JOHN BROWN (Director)
Email;( dhl_compay@yahoo.com )
Website;www.dhl.com
Tel; +229 99157193
Reconfirm Your Address Once Again.
1.YOUR FULL NAME_______________________
2.YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER________________
3.YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS_________________
4. YOUR OFFICIAL AGE___________________
5.YOUR OCCUPATION______________________
6.YOUR COUNTRY_________________________
7.YOUR PHOTOGRAPH _____________________
Direct Cell Phone Number for easy
communication Note that if no seriousness is seen from you, we have no
choice but to send this fund back to our treasury as an unclaimed fund
by you. Do see that you forward your above information to this email:(
dhl_compay@yahoo.com )
Again noted that delivery fee will
cost you $155 and you have to send it to them today to enable them
proceed ahead on the delivery first thing tomorrow morning, here is the
receiver information you use to send the fee.
Receiver's name:::::::::::::::Chukwuemeka Marcel
COUNTRY::::::::::::::::::::::::::BENIN REPUBLIC/ CITY COTONOU
Test question::::::::::::::::::: how long
Answer:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Today
Amount::::::::::::::::::::::::::::$155
Mtcn:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
sender's name:::::::::::::::::
I am waiting to hear from you with the payment detail with this e-maill addrss ::( dhl_compay@yahoo.com )
My Regard to your family
Yours Mr williams
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