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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "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 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.
- harrmo229@mail2harry.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DIPLOMAT HARRISON MORRIS" <info@bloomingclinic.com>
Reply-To: Harrmo229@mail2harry.com
Date: Tue, 6 May 2014 16:57:14 -0400
Subject: Re: I Am At John F. Kennedy International Airport With Your Funds
(Get Back Soon)
ATTN: Dear Friend.
I am Diplomat HARRISON MORRIS, mandated to deliver your inheritance to you
in your country of residence.
The funds total US$1.5 Million and you were made the beneficiary of these
funds by a benefactor whose details will be revealed to you after handing
over the funds to you in accordance with the Agreement I signed with the
benefactor when he enlisted my assistance in delivering the funds to you.
The airport authority demanded for the legal back up papers to prove that
the funds is not in any way related to drug nor money laundry which i did
presented to them and they were 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 packages ( Funds), 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 $85 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the package because
that tag will enable me get to your house successfully without any
interference.They have scanned the package and found out that the fund is
100% spendable and accepted by any bank in the whole world. So they only
thing still keeping me here is the airport delivery tag which is to be
secured from our head office and sent over here to be placed on the
consignment boxes so as to enable me proceed to meet with you.
So you are hereby advised to send the $85 through western union or
money-gram to the information provided to you and get back to with the
pick up details so i can forward it to our head office for them to pick up
the money, secure the tag and direct it over here to be placed on the
package so as to enable me proceed to meet with you. I hope everything is
well understood. Below is the information to send the $85 for the tag to
be secured and sent over to me here.
Name: Francis Sule
City: Cotonou
Amount: $85 US Dollars
Country: Republic Of Benin
Text Question: How Long?
Answer: Today.
Sender's Name:
MTCN:
Presently i am at John F. Kennedy International airport and before I can
deliver the package (funds) to you, you have to reconfirm the following
information so as to ensure that I am dealing with the right person:
1. Full Name
2. Residential Address
3. Age
4. Occupation
5. Direct Telephone Numbers
6. A Copy of Your Identification
7. Name of your Nearest Airport.
After verification of the information with what I have on file, I shall
contact you so that we can make arrangements on the exact time I will be
bringing your package to your residential address. You can call me on my
international number +1-9145735593 to confirm the receipt of my message
also endeavour to reach me via my most private
email:{Harrmo229@mail2harry.com}
Send the requested information so that we can proceed.
Regards,
Diplomat Harrison Morris.
+1-9145735593
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