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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:
- "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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- officefunds546@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: FedEx Courier <johnsonruben922@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fcourier561@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2023 04:21:42 -0800
Subject: FedEx Courier Company
Attention Beneficiary: This message is coming from FedEx Courier
Company, Benin Republic. We are hereby to inform you about your fund
total $30.5Million, from ECOWAS. and it's being deposited with FedEx
COURIER COMPANY for Delivery and our diplomatic agent by name Mrs.
Rita Eseoghene, has left Benin Republic and she is currently at United
States of America now and here is her phone number +1 (323) 641 6432.
Email: {officefunds546@gmail.com} Try to contact her today for a safe
delivery of your fund in a consignment box, do not let the diplomat
agent know the contents of the box because I never disclosed It to her
for security reasons.
RECONFIRM
Delivery address........
Phone number............
Occupation...........
Nearest Airport ........
Country and States..
Copy of passport or driving licence.
Best Regard
Mr. James Frank
Director FedEx Courier Company
CELL. +229 58 83 00 94
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Anti-fraud resources:
