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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. )
- "hundred thousand 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)
- ",500,000" (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 dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- jovanidaniel.0147@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Benson Charles (UN Special Observer)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jovanidaniel.0147@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2020 13:49:23 +0200
Subject: URGENT- ACTION REQUIRED
URGENT- ACTION REQUIRED
This is to officially informed you that your email is among the emails submitted to us from your batched district for universal crisis compensation for the current pandemic your fund has been deposited and concluded arrangement to effect your payment of one million five hundred thousand United State Dollars only ($1,500,000.00) through Western Union Swift Money transfer services or through automated teller machine (ATM) Card today, but the maximum amount you will be receiving every day starting from tomorrow is $5,000.00 as reflected in our transfer system daily until the funds is completely transferred to you via any of the two option based on your preferred choice among the two.
This special arrangement is being used to avoid all scrupulous demand by both the states and federal authorities that have previously delayed your payment till date; we shall need your maximum co-operation to ensure that strictness and confidence is maintained to avoid any further delays. You are to help few people in your area and also discard any request asking you to send money to any agency such as courier company, Bank and security Agency as there are no such and any money committed their will be regret, so be wise.
Please quickly fill your details below for reference purpose:
YOUR NAME:.......
ADDRESS:..........
COUNTRY:............
CITY:...............
TEL:..............
AGE:....................
OCCUPATION:..............
ID CARD NUMBER:.........
Remember your obligation to secure an international Remittance for as stated in United Nation act of (FRT209) that will help build and renew your transfer file for record keeping as a way of checkmating the present Economies crisis situations. Reply urgently for immediate programming of your fund transfer:
Warmest regards
Yours sincerely
Benson Charles (UN Special Observer)
E-mail: ( jovanidaniel.0147@gmail.com )
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Anti-fraud resources:
