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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:
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- postoffice0078@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Post Office <mrmarcelbassole@gmail.com>
Reply-To: john_mark@mail.com
Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2022 16:30:00 -0700
Subject: From Post Office
Post Office -Cotonou Benin Republic.
Address: 20/22 Hospital Route Cotonou Benin Republic.
Tex/ (+229 786 724 97,
Email:( postoffice0078@gmail.com )
Hello Dear
Re: Post Office -Cotonou Benin Republic urgently to avoid expiration.
From regular mail post office Benin Republic, This is to inform you
that there is an ATM Card in this office deposited by a private
organization body.
Your e-mail address was attached to it and is to be posted to you. We
have been waiting for you to contact us for your conformable ATM Card
which contains the sum of $950,000,00 United State Dollars and some
vital documents. So kindly get back to this office (Regular Mail Post
office Benin Republic) to avoid fraudulent issues concerning in this
service.
You are to confirm and provide to us your postal address below.
Your Full Name..........
Your Country............
Your Postal Address.....
Your Direct Phone........
Note: that every claims has an expiring period of fourteen working
days (3days) so you have that very urgently to avoid expiration..
Thanks
Your best regard
CONTACT PERSON:
Mr Thomas Mason
Email:( postoffice0078@gmail.com )
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Anti-fraud resources:
