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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 service" (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 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.
- fedex.couriercompany40@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Robert S. Mueller III" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:20:17 +0400
Subject: CONTACT FEDEX OFFICE FOR YOUR PACKAGE!!
Dear Friend:
Your ATM MASTER CARD has been deposited with FedEx Express Courier Service! for immediate delivery. So All the necessary arrangement of delivering the ATM MASTER CARD worth sum of US$2.5M USD was made with FedEx Express Courier Service (FEDEX). What you need is to contact them
with your home and office address etc to ensure the delivery take off
either today or tomorrow.
Contact information:
NAME: AMAH FRANCIS
E-MAIL: (fedex.couriercompany40@yahoo.com)
Please Send them your contacts information to able them locate you immediately they arrived in your country with your ATM MASTER CARD . This is what they need from you.
1.YOUR FULL NAME.
2.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.
3.YOUR COUNTRY.
4.YOUR CURRENT HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER.
5.YOUR CURRENT OFFICE TELEPHONE.
6.A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE.
Based on the charge involved for delivery, I have paid for Insurance & Delivery fees of the ATM MASTER CARD. What you have to pay them again is their Security Keeping fees of (US$155.00) which your Envelope accumulated. The ATM CARD will last their only 10-days of registering it, more delay will lead it undeliverable and I gave them your delivering address but you have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake on the delivering.
Best Regards
AMAH FRANCIS
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Anti-fraud resources:
