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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:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "required fee " (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. )
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "barrjohn401@live.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- 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.
- +22998760780 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Richard Bello <barrjohnfavour@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 03:53:57 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Receive Your Payment Through Western Union
MINISTRY DU FINANCE FREDERAL REPUBLIC DU BENIN.
FORGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE.
TEL 229-97 84 27 03 FAX 229-93-475-882.
The Board of Federal Ministry Of Finance Benin Republic are hereby notify you of your payment inheritance of $1.8 Million only after the meeting held on 28th of October 2009. His Excellency the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN has Instructed this Department to send your funds through Western Union Money Transfer and Money gram respectively for easier receiving of your inherited funds without any further delay so to avoid paying money to the fraudsters that is going on through the internet.
To effect this payment to you , you are required to send your name and address where you want your fund to be sent through Western Union and the maximium amount you will be receiving each day starting from the very day you submitte your info is the sum of $14000.00. $7000.00 from western union $7000.00 from money gram. Also, your are required to send to us the sum of US$298 dollar only immedaitely for renewal and re-confirming of your file that was deposited in this office with your name and address bellow .
Your Receiver's Name:----------
Address-----------------------
Tel phone---------------------
CONTACT MR JOHN FAVOUR with this informations below:
TEL:+229 98-760-780
EMAIL: barrjohn401@live.fr
As soon as the required fee of $298.00 is send today for the renewal and reconfirming the payment file of your funds, you will start receiving your funds immediately.
send the $298.00 dollar through western union with the name and address below:
Receiver's Name: ----------JOSEPH OBALIM
Address: City--------------------COTONOU
Country: -------------------BENIN REPUBLIC
Test Question---------------HONEST
Test Answer-----------------TRUST
Amount to send: --------------$298.00
We await to receive the western union payment informations today to enable him renewal your contract file with out wasting much of time because there 's no more time,
Yours faithfully in service.
Mr Richard Bello
Ministry Of Finance
Secretary
Federal Republic of Benin
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Anti-fraud resources:
