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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:
- "you are required to pay " (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))
- 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.
- msruthboni@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Prince Alex " <info@4sg.com>
Reply-To: msruthboni@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2022 19:15:04 +0100
Subject: Hello Beneficiary,
Hello Beneficiary,
Please be informed that through the help of US Ambassador to Benin Mrs. Patricia Mahoney who instructed the Central Bank of Benin to transfer your long awaited payment to your account after the meeting she had with the Benin President and Governor Central Bank of Benin.
We hereby wish to inform you that your delayed funds were sent to this office/department with transfer assignment number DT-091/UN-01/22/EC for transfer/delivery. The Central Bank has instructed Mrs Ruth Boni Director Foreign Remittance Department in Banque Atlantique Benin to process your payment for transfer.
Considering the volume amount of your payment, it is right for us to seek for the Grant Payment Approval Document from the Finance Ministry or Payment allocation zonal co-coordinator Benin Republic before we can carry on with the Transfer of such an amount.
It is therefore recommended to resubmit your full contact details for verification and open your payment file for immediate transfer of your Payment within the next 48 hours. Please send your details to her contact as follows:
Name: Ms. Ruth Boni
Position: Director Foreign Remittance Department
Banque Atlantique
Email: msruthboni@gmail.com
However, the only thing holding the final transfer activation of your payment is the Approval Document charges from the above mentioned departments and for that reason, you are required to pay the Sum of $50 only.
Congratulations and good luck.
Sincerely,
Prince Alex
Manager Zonal Co-ordinator
Allocation Payment Department
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Anti-fraud resources:
