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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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- robinson.laurens@yahoo.dk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "BARR JOHN SAM" <moneytransfer02@kimo.com>
Reply-To: robinson.laurens@yahoo.dk
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 07:56:13 +0800
Subject: God bless you and your family.
My Dear Good Friend,
My name is diplomat Laurens Robinson' an expert US diplomat/Embassy
here in Cotonou Benin Republic.
My Office has been contacted by your local partiner in Africa to
assist in delivery consignment containing $1.2M directly to
you.According that request' you as receiver of the consignment should
get in before or during first week of Dec 2013 therefore kindly reply
this email and let me know your full address to locate you on arrival
to your city today or tomorrow.
As you may understand,it will take me nothing but 48 hrs to get to
your place with that consignment so I need your correct address to
avoild wrongful delvery to you . You also require to forward copy of
your ID to enable me to know you clearly on day of delivery the
consignment to you.
Wating to hear from you for my arrival to deliver your consignment
containing $1.2M to you.
God bless you and your family.
Yours,
Diplomat
Laurens Robinson of
E MAIL robinson.laurens@yahoo.dk
US embassy Cotonou
Benin Republic
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Anti-fraud resources:
