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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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "ecowas " (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.
- 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 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.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- diplomatmarkwilfred8@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DIPLOMAT MARK WILFRED" <dclark@technigro.com.au>
Reply-To: diplomatmarkwilfred13@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2017 19:07:26 +0200
Subject: I JUST ARRIVED DALLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TEXAS WITH YOUR $9.5M USD
Attn: TO You,
I’m Diplomat Mark Wilfred I have been trying to reach you about an hour now
just to inform you about my successful arrived Dallas/Fort Worth International
airport Texas with your two Boxes of Consignment Box worth $9.5M Nine Million
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars which I have been instructed by ECOWAS COURIER
DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority demanded for
all the legal back up papers to prove to them that the fund is no way related with
drug money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much
pleased with the paper's I presented but the only thing that is still keeping
me here is the Yellow Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the Airport
Authority has advise that we get the yellow tag so that I can exit the airport
immediately and make my delivery successful. I try to reason with them and they
stated the yellow tag will cost us just $72 Dollars only to get the two tag
placed on the boxes as that tag will enable deliver today
Please try and reach me with my number (469) 629-2261 TEXT ME OR CALL ME as I
can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to take
care of. Here are the papers backing the funds together with my ID CARD as I
can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit the fund successfully with
these papers. I have i more vital paper with me but I can only present you the
hard copy when I reach your house as that it's the diplomatic rules, such as
authorization to deliver.
Re-confirm to me your information
Full Name...............
Correct phone number ...........
Delivery Address .............
You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get the Yellow Tag
here for you authority. GET BACK TO ME WITH PAYMENT INFORMATION USE MONEY GRAM
OFFICE or WESTERN UNION OFFICE SEND THE $72 NOW
Receiver: HALL NDIFE.
Country: BENIN REPUBLIC.
City: COTONOU
Country Code: 00229
Amount: $72 US DOLLARS
Text Question: WHEN?
Answer: TODAY.
SENDER NAME
MTCN
Regard
DIPLOMAT MARK WILFRED
CALL ME OR TEXT ME URGENT(469) 629-2261
E-mail (diplomatmarkwilfred8@gmail.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
