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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- officebeninp@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: REV KEN JIM TNT <opspo@gala.net>
Reply-To: officebeninp@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:49:44 +0530 (IST)
Subject: THE SCAMMERS HAS BE ARRESTED
Hello
My name is Rev Ken Jim from TNT Benin
Republic am here to inform you that we are holding these Scammer who come to
thief your FUND from our office yes day night and them told us that you the one
sent them to come and claim you fund and the total amount in your fund is
($900.000.00) Nine hundred thousand united state dollars, and I will like
you to do as much as you can and get back to me once you received my mail
because them want to pay for the IRS permit claim fund but
we still hold them until we had from you so get back urgent to avid giving you
fund to them and you lose all okay,
Now true if delaying to get back to us you will lose
you fund because i will release your fund to them /but understand that since am
here nothing will happy to your fund if want to received it and right now know
what to do and send us $78 dollar for the IRS permit because if know pay
for the IRS permit we can release your fund to them because them want to pay but
we said know so please get back to us with the payment of $78.00 dollar only
immediately you received this mail because there is know time again if delaying
you lose you fund which I know want you to lose /so now am waiting for the
payment and send it with this
information,
RECEIVER NAME--ONYIBOR
SUNDAY
COUNTRY----BENIN
REPUBLIC
CITY-----COTONOU
MTCN----
QUESTION--IS
ANSWER---HELP
SUM
____$78.00
SENDER
NAME______
waiting to hear from you and see these scammer P okay
contact DR Ken Jim
withthise
mail;(officebeninp@yahoo.fr
)
+229
-6656-7551
SEE THESE SCAMMERS
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Anti-fraud resources:
