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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:
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "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 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: DIPLOMAT WILFRED <officebenin850@gmail.com>
Reply-To: DIPLOMAT WILFRED <diplomattony_wilfred77@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2015 03:22:39 +0900 (JST)
Subject: I' successfuly arrived JFK international Airport with your Consignment box worth $4.5million
 Urgent Attn: fund owner.
 I’m diplomatic Tony Wilfred; I have been trying to reach you on yourÂ
 telephone about an hour now just to inform you about my successfulÂ
 arrival in John F.Kennedy International Airport with your two boxes ofÂ
 consignment worth $4.5 Four Million Five  Hundred Thousand  DollarsÂ
 which I have been instructed by (UNITED NATION/ECOWAS GOOGLE WINNINGÂ
 UNIT) to be delivered to you.
 The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers toÂ
 prove to them that the fund is no way related with drug nor fraudÂ
 money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are veryÂ
 much pleased with the paper’s I presented but the only thing that isÂ
 still keeping me here is the airport delivery Tag which is not placedÂ
 on the boxes, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get theÂ
 delivery tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make myÂ
 delivery successful.
 I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery tag will costÂ
 us just $95 Dollar only to get the two tags placed on the boxes asÂ
 that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without anyÂ
 interference,they scanned the boxes and found out that the fund is 100Â
 % spend able and accepted by any bank in the whole world.
 Please try and reach me now on my diplomatic international roamingÂ
 number here +229 98-89-36-58 I' can not afford to spend more time hereÂ
 due to other delivery I have to take care of in Canada.  Here are theÂ
 papers backing the funds  together with my ID CARD as I can accompanyÂ
 you to your bank were you will deposit the fund successfully withÂ
 these papers. I have i more vital paper with me but I can only presentÂ
 you the hard copy when I reach your house as that it’s the diplomaticÂ
 rules, such as authorization to deliver.
 You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get it hereÂ
 for you and they are entitled to receive and make any payment toÂ
 foreign countries
 Receiver name Chikeluo Okechukwu.
 Country Benin Republic.
 city cotonou.
 Amount  95 US Dollars
 Text Question. In God?
 Answer ….We Trust.
 Sender name...........
 Mtcn#.................
 You are request to re-confirm to me your new address and phone numberÂ
 in case you have pack in to a new apartment so as to help me avoidÂ
 wrong delivery of your fund.
 Sincerely Yours,
 Diplomati Tony Wilfred.
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