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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:
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "we444@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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr. Godwin Emelie." <drharrisray2010@gmail.com>
Reply-To: we444@live.fr
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:05:37 +0100
Subject: Congratulation dear winner.
--
Congratulation!!.
Be informed your email ID has won a prize USD$4.8 Million (Four million
Eight hundred thousand United State Dollars ) for the Year 2014 Lottery
promo organized by western union Company, Your Email-ID was selected by
our Microsoft Cor-portion which Always Supplied western union Company
With Five Thousand Email Addresses of Active Internet Users Yearly. In
this year Promo result, your Email ID Was Submitted as one Of the Active
Internet Users For the Year 2014. We have concluded to effect your
payment via western union by sending you $7000 Daily until the total
$4.8 million is transfer to you.
The Director administrator of fund release has already signed your
payment, therefore you should hurry to contact the western union payment
officer to forward your today,s $7000 payment MTCN and sender's name
which you will use to pick your today $7000 payment.contact him on below
information;
Contact Person :( Dr. Harris Ray)
Western Union payment officer,
Phone: +229-9928935.
E-mail; we444@live.fr
You are also advised to re-confirm to him your details as required
below.
(1). Re-confirm your full names:
(2). Re-confirm Contact address:
(3). Re-confirm valid Phone #:
(4). Fax:
(5). Age:
(6). Occupation:
Best regards,
Barr. Godwin Emelie.
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