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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:
- 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)
- 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.
- diplomaticage@usa.com (Outblaze.com, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: " Diplomat Mikel" <info@usa.net>
Reply-To: diplomaticage@usa.com
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2024 07:00:30 -0800
Subject: URGENT REPLY
I HAVE ARRIVED IN YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT, with your box of
consignment worth $1.5 million USA dollars which I have been instructed
by DHL COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority demanded
for all the legal back up to prove to them that the fund is no way
related with drug nor fraud money.
I have presented the papers and handed it over to them and they are
very much pleased with the papers I presented, but the only thing that
is still keeping me here is the airport delivery Tag which is not
placed on the box, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get
the delivery tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make
my delivery successful.
I try to reason with them and they stated the delivery tag will cost
us just $105 Dollars only to get the tag placed on the box as that.
CONTACT EMAIL; diplomaticage@usa.com
PHONE NUMBER; +1 424 646 3170.
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Anti-fraud resources:
