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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:
- "high court" (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. )
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
- speedtrustcourier3@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Chief Judge Smith Daye <d.service@tin.it>
Reply-To: speedtrustcourier3@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:07:17 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Attn
THE (UN)/(ECOWAS) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC MELTDOWN COMPENSATION.(WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROJECT) A WORLDWIDE COMPENSATION FOR THE CURRENT ECONOMIC MELTDOWN.CONGRATULATION
I HAVE FINALLY REGISTERED YOUR ATM MASTER CARD WITH SPEED TRUST COURIER COMPANY THIS MORNING AFTER THE AGREEMENT TO PAY YOU VIA DEBIT CARD WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU WITHDRAWAL FROM ANY AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE AROUND YOU. AS WE AGREED, AND THE DELIVERY WILL TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY YOU MADE CONTACT WITH THEM BASED ON MY AGREEMENT WITH SPEED TRUST DIRECTOR REV. EDWIN HOOVER, and you are to send him $158 for the keeping fee.
CONTACT THEM WITH YOUR DELIVERY INFORMATION AS FOLLOW
YOUR NAME_______________
YOUR HOME ADDRESS_______
YOUR ID COPY____________
YOUR COUNTY___________
YOUR AGE/SEX_____________
DIRECT PHONE NUMBER____
YOUR OCCUPATION______
SPEED TRUSTL OFFICE:
CONTACT PERSON: Mr Chris Raphael
E-MAIL:speedtrustcourier3@yahoo.fr
PHONE NO +229 98430998
YOUR AMOUNT CREDITED IN THE CARD IS $1.5MILLION BEST REGARDS,
Chief Judge Smith Daye
FROM HIGH COURT BENIN
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Anti-fraud resources:
