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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:
- "insurance 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. )
- "courier service" (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 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.
- dhlcsbenin@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Sema Kolin" <atm.viscar11@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dhlcsbenin@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 19:40:10 +0100
Subject: Contact DHL Courier Service Now
This is to inform you that ECOWAS UNION has instructed DHL Courier
Service to deliver your Package funds of $2.5 Million dollar to you..
DHL will deliver your Package funds to you as soon as you send your
contact home address to them.. You will not pay for delivering fee;;
You will pay for the insurance fee only..
Contact DHL office Now and Send your contact home address to them as
it below to deliver your Package funds to you;
Full Name:
Home Address:
Country AND City:
Zip/postal code
Cell Phone Numbers
Below is the contact information of DHL office for you to send your
home address to them.
DHL Office
contact person: Mr. Djbril Wassu
EMAIL:: ( dhlcsbenin@gmail.com )
It is only the insurance fee that you will pay to DHL office... So
Send your home address correctly to DHL to avoid deliver your Package
funds to wrong address.
Best regard
Mr. Sema Kolin
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Anti-fraud resources:
