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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:
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- 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: FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE <meyer21robinson001@gmail.com>
Reply-To: FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE <oseikevin1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2015 15:41:07 +0900 (JST)
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE
06 BP 1409 AVAKPA DODOME
COTONOU' REPUBLIC OF BENIN' WEST AFRICA
+22999757638
Attention..........
This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract inheritance file presently on my desk now and I found out that you have not received your payment due to your lack of co-operation and not fulfilling the obligations giving to you in respect to your contract/inheritance payment.
Secondly, you are hereby beign advised to stop dealing with some non-officials in the Bank as this is an illegal act and you have to stop all communication right now with any department in regard of anything if you so wish to receive your payment immediately.
After the last meeting with the board of directors on Foreign Remittance act 2015, we have resolved in finding a solution to your problem and as you may know that we have arranged your payment through our SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTRE in Europe, America and Asia Pacific which is the instruction given by his Excellency, Dr.Thomas Yayi Boni' (President Federal Republic of Benin)
The ATM card payment office will send you an ATM CARD which contained all your total inheritance payment' valued sum amount of ($10.5m USD) and be informed that you will be making the daily withdrawal of ($10'000 USD) at any Atm working machine in any part of the world as soon as you catch up your Atm Card in your country'
Reconfirm your current information as requested below
Beneficiary Name...........
Country....................
City......................
Address..................
Age....................
Sex....................
Occupation............
Marital status........
Telephone Number.........
I.D Copy................(if any)
Thanks for adhering to this instruction
Reply accordingly for more directives
Sincerely Yours
Dr.Gregg .K. Osei
HEAD OFFICE' SENOTORIAL ZONE
REPUBLIC OF BENIN' WEST AFRICA
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Anti-fraud resources:
