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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)
- "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)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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.
- +447045720337 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- 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.
- dr.markwhte_wfm@kimo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Mark White" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dr.markwhte_wfm@kimo.com>
Date: Sat, 11 May 2013 13:49:31 -0700
Subject: WORLD FUND MANAGEMENT AND PAYMENT
WORLD FUND MANAGEMENT AND PAYMENT.
I am Dr. Mark White Director of World Fund Financial Management and Payment Bureau. I decided to contact you because of the prevailing financial report reaching my office in London Uk. This is to inform you about our plan to send your fund to you via diplomatic cash delivery, this system will be easier for you and for us. We are going to send your funds total sum of US$7.3Million to you via courier delivery service. The package is accompanied with every vital document that covers these funds. Note that this fund is coming in 2 security proof boxes which are sealed with Synthetic nylon and padded with machine seal. I will make use of my position to release this fund to you. The boxes are coming with a Courier agent who will deliver them to you at your receiving home address after clearing the package at the airport. All you are require to do now is to reconfirm the following information below.
1. Name in full: _____
2. Address: __________
3. Age & Sex: ________
4. Occupation: _______
5. Cell Phone#: ______
6. State of Origin: __
7. Country: __________
8. Scan Copy of Identity__
9.Email Address: _________
Note: The Agent does not know the content in these boxes, the content was declared to him as a family treasure. I have obtained the consignment tag that will be tagged on the boxes which shall be dispatch along with the parcel code to enable you access them as soon as the diplomat deliver them to you. The only thing you are require to do here is to make available the require fee for the clearing of your consignment package at the port of entry when the diplomat arrive your country airport.
Reply to this email: dr.markwhte_wfm@kimo.com for the commencement of your consignment package delivery.
Regards,
Dr. Mark White
From: London Clearing House
Tel: 44 704 572-0337
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Anti-fraud resources:
