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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "% of every payment" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
- This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
- 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.
- info.cargill@cutey.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- kingdom tel: 00447035901479 fax: 00447006048648 email: info.cargill@cutey.com, atulpande@cutey.com website: (Cutey; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "CARGILL Commodity trading" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info.cargill@cutey.com>
Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 04:17:24 +0100
Subject: Business opportunity partnership.
Attn:
Dear sir/Madam,
I represent Cargill Agricultural commodity trading & processing Company based in the UK. My company exports cocoa and other goods & services for world trade. We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a medium of getting to our Customers in Canada and America as well as making payments through you as our payment officer. Most of our customers pay out in cheque/checks and we do not have an account in your country that will clear this money. It is upon this note that we seek your assistance to stand as our representative in your country.
You will be paid 10% of every payment made through you to us. Subject to Your satisfaction you will be given the opportunity to renegotiate your percentage % for your services as our company representative.
Kindly indicate your interest so that we can proceed on business.
Very Respectfully,
Dr. Atul K. Pande, (Director of finance/sales)
CARGILL Commodity trading
15 Canada Square
London E14 5GL
United Kingdom
Tel: 00447035901479
Fax: 00447006048648
Email: info.cargill@cutey.com, atulpande@cutey.com
Website: http://www.cargill.com/products/commodity/inc..
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Anti-fraud resources:
