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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:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "million united state dollars" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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 of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cashiers check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- adefinvebe123@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "James F. Entwistle" <jod03@bolic.my-board.org>
Reply-To: <adefinvebe123@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 11:42:49 +0100
Subject: From Office of USA Ambassador to Nigeria (US$10M PAYMENT)
>From Office of USA Ambassador to Nigeria
Plot 1075 diplomatic drive
Central district
Area, Abuja
Dear Sir/Ma,
after an official meeting held with the president of Nigeria president Buhari concerning unpaid and unclaimed funds to foreign beneficiaries, I was very much annoyed when I found out from your file that you paid so much money yet you have not still receive your compensation funds for that reason I have decided to help personal get you're fund.
My name is ambassador James F. Entwistle the present USA ambassador to Nigeria I shall be coming to your Country next week for an official meeting and I will be bringing a Cashiers Check of US$10,000,000.00 (Ten Million United State Dollars only) which the ministry of finance has sign on your name.
I shall be coming along with the Check through the United States Diplomatic mission to your Country this time I will not go through customs because as a USA ambassador to Nigeria, I am a USA Government agent and I have the veto power to go through any USA customs.
I have help three beneficiaries from united state of America this year to get there fund without any problem and you are the fourth person I am helping now. the three individual who has already receive the fund through my assistance are bellow Mrs. Antonio Peres---------- France USA Mr. Roy Jerry-------------North Carolina USA and marlin Jones --------Atlanta Georgia the above mentioned are the three persons who has received there fund by my assistance in January and I cant see why yours will not be possible. Base on that you are to send me your bellow information for the delivery of your fund by next week as soon as I come for the meeting. Your details required are bellow.
1. Your full name
2. Cell phone number
3. Address where you want me to bring the package
I know quit well from your file that you have really paid so much on this delivery that makes me wonder you are a very lucky person because I shall be bringing it myself and there is nothing anyone can do about it your package (US$10M) must be registered as an ambassadorial package for me to defeat all odds.
The cost of registering is just $140 as paid by orders who just receive there fund presently. The fee must be paid in the next 72 hours via Western Union or Money Gram so that all necessary arrangement can be made before time will be against us. You are to contact my secretary OGE JUDE for the registration of the check:
Contact name: OGE JUDE
Address: Lagos Nigeria
Contact email: adefinvebe123@hotmail.com
Please contact my secretary with his information stated and send him the $140 for the registration of the check before next week which I will be coming to USA I shall send you my flight schedule as soon as the registration is done for you to know when exactly I will be in your Country. You can go through my website to read biography: (http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography..html)
Note: as soon as I arrive I will call you so that immediately I finished with my meeting I will be coming to your address to hand over the check to you and also to let you know that I will be going to your bank with you to deposit the check with all the approved document backing up the Check and I will make sure the Check clear in 3days before I live.
Yours Sincerely Ambassador
James F. Entwistle
USA Ambassador to Nigeria
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