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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:
- "@diplomats.com" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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.
- our.agent@diplomats.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Consular office dept <jmmail4@johnury7yh.za.tn>
Reply-To: <mgudo1@yahoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:25:48 +0800
Subject: Your over due payment $11.5Million!!!
Attn: Beneficiary,
This is to inform you that united nations has deposited your over due payment of $11.5Million with (Addit Development Bank in Benin Republic), after the visit of Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to West Africa last Month to help individuals/Scam victims and charity organization, Your name and email was listed among those who are to benefit from these compensation exercise.
The Addit Development Bank will be waiting to hear from you, This payment of $11.5Million has been programmed into an (ATM Card) signed and approved in favor with Registration Reference No:FDXB/xxx/100.
Kindly reconfirm your details to the paying agent through this email (our.agent@diplomats.com) with your details as listed below. 1.Your residential address: /2.Your full names: /3. Your cell phone number: /4.Your Age / Occupation:
Thanks and God Bless,
Ms. Joanna Ben.
Supervising Agent
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Anti-fraud resources:
