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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "diplomatic agent" ("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.
- agentmarkwilliams@deliveryman.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Agent Mark Jack Williams <federalministryofinance1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: agentjackjim@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2022 13:22:43 +0000
Subject: Your ATM card through DHL or by post
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I am a diplomatic agent Mr Mark Williams email
agentmarkwilliams@deliveryman.com am in NEW YORK right now with your
package, worth USD$8.5M only to be deliver to you in your door step
and am writing to inform you about your package brought by the UNITED
EMBASSY from the government of UGANDA in white house Washington DC the
PARCEL have been mandated to be deliver to you with the help of a
serving diplomat MR Don Brown whom we are using his DIPLOMATIC
IMMUNITY.
Now you are requiring to send your delivery address and the following
information as soon as possible to avoid accumulation of dumorage
charges in ware house of UNITED NATION EMBASSY.
agentmarkwilliams@deliveryman.com
DELIVERY ADDRESS....... .............
2.....PHONE NUMBER........................
3......FULL NAME.................
4.......OCCUPATION......
5....... NEAREST AIR PORT.............
You are requiring to inspect the package before signing the
attestation booklet indicating that you received the package in good
condition, other information will be given to you as soon as you get
back to me.
Thanks
Mr Mark Williams
DIPLOMATIC AGENT
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