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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:
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
- fedexexpressdelivery45@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: DAVID MIKE <davidmike244@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fedexexpressdelivery45@hotmail.fr
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:35:34 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY IMMEDIATELY
Good Day!
I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your Cashiers Cheque but did not hear from you since that time. So i went to the bank to confirm if the draft is getting close to expire and the Manager of the bank told me that before the draft will get to your address that it will expire.
Then I told him to help me and cash the bank draft of $2.5 million to cash payment.However, I have successfully cashed the draft and packaged your Cash in a Cargo box and had registered it in the FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY here in Benin Republic because I will travel soon to see my boss and will not come back soon.
You have to contact the FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY to know when they will deliver your package to your address. I have paid for the delivering charges and insurance fees.
The only money you have to send to them is their SECURITY KEEPING FEE to receive your package and as i do not know when you will be contacting them. HERE IS FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY ADDRESS BELOW/
NAME: DR JERRY COOL
E-MAIL: (fedexexpressdelivery45@hotmail.fr )
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER;+229-9843 6119
Please, Send them your contacts information to able them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your BOX.This is the information they need from you.
YOUR FULL NAME...........................
YOUR DELIVERY ADDRESS.................
YOUR CELLPHONE....................
OCCUPATION...............
AGE................
SEX...................
Try to contact FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY as soon as possible to avoid increasing the security keeping fees. I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake in the delivery.
Note; I didn't tell the FEDEX EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY that it's money inside the box, I registered it as a package of an African cloths/Family Valuables.
This is to avoid delaying or any upfront problem during the delivery, So do not let them to know that the package contents money inside until you have received it in your house address OK and this is the code which you send to them for verifications(PX002).
Do let me know as soon as you received your package. Contact me by email OK.
Best Regards,
Dr DAVID MIKE (ESQ
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