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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:
- 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 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. )
- "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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "g.trust.c@admin.in.th" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr Boni Young." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <g.trust.c@admin.in.th>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2013 11:20:27 +0100
Subject: Re:Approved Sum.
sendDear friend.
In respect of your support and hardworking in this organization the board of executives in their last meeting has decided to reward twelve members effort with the sum of USD$2,850.000.00 thousand united state dollars only each, right now YOUR FUND has been deposited at a save COURIER COMPANY here in Nigeria,for some date now.
Be inform that the company have only detail's document's of the deposited, but the content of the consignment box was indicate to the company as a church evangelism tracks and that we did in other to beat the security of international monetary fund agent's.
However you are required to contact the company with the reconfirmation of your details resident address you will wish the delivery of the fund consignment of the above fund to be done.
Contact the shipment officer the Global Trust Courier Company (G.T.C.C) on the email and telephone as indicate below and we will release to you the receipt of the deposited once the company confirm the acknowledgement receipt of your information's as required for the delivery.
1.CONTACT PERSON......MR LEWIS BENSON
2.DIRECTOR E-mail:( g.trust.c@admin.in.th )
3.DIRECTOR-----Phone( +2348132410319 )
Accept the security keeping fee of $73.00 per day all other money and document regarding the delivering of your box has been handed over to the company contact them with this information’s
1..Your full name.............................
2..Your delivery address...............................
3.Your Home phone number..........................................
4. Your Mobile phone number.........................................
make sure your information is correct and always remember to address the box as church evangelism tracks.
good luck.
Mr Boni Young.
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