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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- dhloffice_120@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: GEORGE BEN <michaeljohn198@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dhloffice_120@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 20:37:24 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT D.H.L DIRECTOR FOR YOUR BOX
CONTACT D.H.L DIRECTOR FOR YOUR BOXDear Friend,
I have been expecting your call since two days now.
The new EXECUTIVE in their last meeting has reached an agreement with the issued bank about your fund $3.8m USD,the bank has final accepted and release the money in cash.Right now your FUND has been successfully deposited at D.H.L COURIER
COMPANY here in BENIN REP WITH REG- NUM..XQD7819-SC. my dear, the small box was not registered as FUND but as church evangelism tracks box therefore do not disclose the content of the box to anybody for security reasons.Here is the the courier contact information and all you are expcted to do now is to contact them and recieve your long waited money ($3.8m) in cash.
HERE ARE THEIR CONTACT ADDRESS
1.CONTACT PERSON......JOHN EDOZIE.
2COMPANY-email dhloffice_120@yahoo.fr)
3.PHONE NUMBER +229-9806 7123
Contact them immidiately WITH THIS INFORMATIONS for your box
1..YOUR FULL NAME.............................
2...YOUR DELIVERY ADDRESS.....................
3..YOUR PHONE NUMBER...........................
4.. REG- NUM..............XQD7819-SC
5.. DEPOSITOR NAME........mr George Ben
make sure your information is correct so that they do not deliver your box to the wrong person.
I believe you shuold treat this letter with some conffideciality untill you recieve your fund and always remember
to address the box as church evangelism tracks untill you recieve it,
GOOD LUCK,
SEC MR. GEORGE BEN
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