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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "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 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.
- holmescollins526@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: ben christian <"www."@clock.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: ben christian <holmescollins526@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:20:21 +0900 (JST)
Subject: WARNING; ATTENTION
TTENTION FROM DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
From The Desk Of Dr.ben christian
CEO/Central Bank of Benin ( CBB)
Tinubu Sqare,P.M.B.12194Cotonou
CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/013,
Foreign Remittance Department.
E-Mail: (holmescollins526@yahoo.com)
Tele:+229 6180-9978
Dear Esteemed Customer,
This is to let you know that we are still waiting to hear very urgently you response back right regarding the required fee of $179 usd now , if you are still want to claim your total fund in our custody to avoid cancel this transaction today and we will also divert your total funds to Federal Government Account Allocation Budget 2018 Project according to the meeting we held with Mr President And UN Representative yesterday at house of parliamentary that who soever that abandon his or her funds here in our office then we will divert it to Government Account Allocation OK.
Best Regards
Dr.ben christian
Executive Governor Central Bank Benin
Foreign Remittance Department.
E-Mail: (holmescollins526@yahoo.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
