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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:
- "required 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. )
- 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.
- 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.
- dhl_delivery.co@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DHL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <(dhl_delivery.co@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 30 May 2017 08:21:57 -0700
Subject: ATTENTION
Attn My Dear:
We have finally arranged to deliver your ATM card package worth $2.8m
USD
through (DHL) Company. We were able to accomplish this
through the help
of IMF director Anderson Morgan and every necessary arrangement has
been made successfully.
Contact Steve williams
Telephone: +22998781972
email:::
(dhl_delivery.co@yahoo.com)
Contact the (DHL) with your delivery information such as:
your name,................
your phone number,................
address,................
And also be informed that delivery agent will leave to your country as
soon as you comply with (DHL) Company Required fee which is the sum of
$85,the fee is for your funds
shipment.
i can assure you that (DHL) will not request for any other fee.
Sincerely
Anthony Edward
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Anti-fraud resources:
