|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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:
- "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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "million united state dollars" (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)
- "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.
- 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.
- 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.
- w.u_88@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Robert Pikus" <odee_ikwunne002@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: w.u_88@sify.com
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:11:40 +0100 (BST)
Subject: MTCN NUMBER: 264-326-07-84
TOP OF TODAY AUG 15TH 2011,FAST MY NAME IS MAXWELL OKOYE,FROM WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC AM HERE TO INFOM YOU THAT AM A NEWS MARNGE IN THIS OFFICE AND I SEE YOU FUND AND YOU MAIL ADDRESS IN MY OFFICE AND I ASKING WHY YOU FUND IS HERE AND THEM TOLD ME THAT YOU DID WANT TO RECEIVED IT THAT IS WHAT THEM TOLD ME AND AM HERE NOW TO KNOW THE TRUTH BECAUSE president Thomas Bony Yayi of Federal Republic De Benin WANT TO COME HERE ON MONDAY TO CANCEL ALL FUND AND RIGHT NOW UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL AMOUNT $1.5million united state dollars,
MEANWHILE I HAVE MADE YOU THREE PAYMENT IN YOU NAME AND I WILL GIVE THE PAYMENT BUT BEFORE I RELEASE MTCN YOU MOST SEND US $35 DOLLAR FOR THE TRANSFER FEE AND ONCE YOU SEND IT I WILL RELEASE YOU THREE PAYMENT TO YOU TODAY THIS IS THE PAYMENT
FIRST PAYMENT IS THIS
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
SENDER NAME........ MAXWELL OKOYE
.MTCN NUMBER........0833721562
QUESTION====FAST?
TEST ANSWER===FAST
AMOUNT====$8000.00
TOW PAYMENT IS THIS
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
SENDER NAME........ MAXWELL OKOYE
MTCN NUMBER: 2643260784
QUESTION====FAST
TEST ANSWER===FAST
AMOUNT====$8000.00
THREE PAYMENT IS THIS
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
SENDER NAME........ MAXWELL OKOYE
MTCN NUMBER:3846057750
QUESTION====FAST
TEST ANSWER===FAST
AMOUNT====$8000.00
NOW SEE THE INFORMARTIN TO SEND THE TRANSFER FEE $55 DOLLAR ONLY WAITING FOR YOU SOON?
Receiver name =OBI MAXWELL
City==COTONOU
Country== BENIN REPUBLIC
Test Question== TRUST
Test Answer==GOD
AMOUNT:...............$35, USD
CONTACT MR MAXWELL OKOYE WITH THIS MAIL ADDRESS( w.u_88@sify.com )
AM WAITING TO HERE FROM YOU SOON BECAUSE I WILL LIKE TO RELEASE THE MTCN NUMBER TO YOU TODAY SO BE VERY FAST OKAY WAIT FOR YOU MAIL ?
THANK
MAXWELL OKOYE
+229 9318-5796
|
Anti-fraud resources:
