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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- dhlcs1@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr. Mrs Maria Chong" <mariachong65@yahoo.com.sg>
Reply-To: dhlcs1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2011 15:47:14 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: DHL COURIER OFFICE Shipment CODE AWB33XZS //////
DHL COURIER OFFICE Consignment Box Shipment CODE AWB33XZS
DHL Courier company :Ground Floor, Wisma
Lot No. 23 Patte D'Oie
03 BP 2147Cotonou
E-mail:dhlcs1@gmail.com
Website;www.DHL.com
Attn: Consignment Owner.
RE:INSTRUCTION TO DELIVER YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX IN OUR VAULTS.
We have a Consignment that contained an International Cashier Bank Draft/Cheque worth the sum of ($7.6 million USD) which will be deliver to you at the moment as long as you provide all the requirement information to the DHL Courier Delivery Express Company before the Consignment can be shipped to your own residential address in your country.
This Company has an instruction to see to the immediate release of the sum of SEVEN Million,SIX Hundred thousand united state Dollars (US$7.6M) of your claim that has been pending in a trunk box in our security vault.We were meant to understand from our findings that you have been going through hard times and passing through a lot of difficulties in seeing to the release of your fund which amounts to (Seven Million, six hundred thousand united state Dollars (US$7.6M). This has been the handwork of some dubious elements in African Development Bank (ADB).note that all our fee had being paid by international monetary fund that deposited this fund in your name in our custody here so kindly forward your information in the chance given for security purposes .
Furthermore, Your e-mail /Home address was among the luckiest package that will be send through Federal Express Delivery Service as soon as you 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.DAVID NAMARA
Email;dhlcs1@gmail.com
Website; www.dhl.com
Tel; +229 98977357
This are the information required for easy delivery of your Consignment Box. 1. YOUR FULL NAMES_____, 2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS______, 3.YOUR HOME AND CELL NUMBER____4.A COPY OF YOUR ID FOR IDENTIFICATION 5. YOUR OCCUPATIONS
Do feel free to call DR.DAVID NAMARA on phone as soon as you send email to him because your call would facilitate the immediate attention to you due to his tight schedule.
We anticipate your urgent respond.
My Regard to your family.
Your s sincerely
Barr. Mrs Maria Chong.
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