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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:
- "security keeping 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. )
- "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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "atm_c20@yahoo.com" (this email address looks like addresses used in "ATM SWIFT card" 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.
- atm_c20@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr DON Williams <netcantv@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Mr DON Williams <atmcard243@yahoo.pt>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 04:16:23 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Good Day Dear Esteemed Costumer,
Â
Good Day Dear Esteemed Costumer,
Having been in receipt of your email together with your address where to deliver your Atm Card worth $4.5 million Usd to you and I wish to inform you that the delivery of your Atm Card suppose to take place today to your designated address soon as we confirm the security keeping fee of your Atm Card Which is $75 usd only.
I will appreciate if you can read and understand this massage and urgently move to any nearest Money Gram Or western union and send $75dollars for security keeping fee, and once we confirm the $75 dollars now the security people will be settle and the delivery of your Atm Card will instantly take place today.
The delivery will take only 24 hours to get to your designated address with your Atm Card successfully, meanwhile below is the information to send the $75 dollars very urgent and call this office for payment information: such as.
Receiver Name_____innocet obelue
Country ___ Benin Republic
City _______ Cotonou
Amount _____ $75 Dollars
Txt Question __ In God
Answer ____ We Trust
Senders Name__________
Mtcn______________
Do not fail to send the money soon as you receive this mail Because The more you delay the more the security keeping charge increase.
Once again congratulation and REMAIN bless.
Regard
Hon Mr DON Williams
DIRECTOR ATMCARD OFFICE BENINÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Call me with this nubmer: +22968656259 or sms
Email:atm_c20@yahoo.com
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Anti-fraud resources:
