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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: AMBSSADOR JAMES <ambassador202060@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2015 20:23:27 -0700
Subject: Embassy of the United States of America
Embassy of the United States of America
Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive
Central District Area, Ab
CHECK HERE VIEW MYDATA; http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html
Dear Friend
THIS IS Ambassador James F. Entwistle U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria. UNITED
STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO LOOK INTO
BENEFICIARY WHO HAVE NOT COLLECTED THEIR INHERITANCE FUND, AFTER OUR
OFFICIAL MEETING ON TUESDAY THE FEDERAL MINISTRY HAS AGREED TO COMPENSATE
ALL BENEFICIARIES WHO HAVE NOT YET COLLECT THEIR MONEY DUE TO ONE REASON OR
THE OTHER.
THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT HAS APPOINTED ME AS THE AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, AND
US GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO PAY ALL DEPT OWE BY
NIGERIA GOVERNMENT, ALL PAYMENT WILL GO THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER. AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO
GIVE YOU THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE WESTERN UNION OFFICE IN CHARGE OF
YOUR PAYMENT(SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND YOUR RECEIVERS NAME AND YOUR
ADDRESS IN OTHER FOR THE WESTERN UNION OFFICIAL SEND YOUR MTCN PAYMENT
INFORMATION WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY.
Name: ===================Address: ====================Mobile No.:======================
YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS TRANSACTION THAT MAKES ME WONDER. YOU
ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL DIRECT YOU TO THE OFFICE IN CHARGE
OF YOUR MONEY AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT. CHECK HERE:
http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html .PRIVATE E-MAIL:
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE GREAT DOUBT AND DISTRUST IN YOUR HEART IN
RESPECT TO THIS EMAIL COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT SO MANY MISCREANTS AND
IMPOSTERS(SCAMMERS) HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE INTERNET TO FACILITATE
THEIR NEFARIOUS DEEDS, THEREBY MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR GENUINE
AND LEGITIMATE BUSINESS CLASS PERSONS TO GET ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION
YOUR TOTAL MONEY IS ($2.5M) MUST BE PAID TO YOU IN THE NEXT 50 HOURS VIA
WESTERN UNION AND ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE
AGAINST US.
AS SOON AS YOU RESPOND THE MTCN PAYMENT INFORMATION FROM WESTERN UNION
OFFICE WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU. UNTIL YOUR TRANSACTION IS COMPLETE, SO BE
AWARE THAT IMMEDIATELY WE READ FROM YOU WE SHALL DIRECT YOU TO THE OFFICER
IN CHARGE OF YOUR FUND FOR YOUR CLAIM .
SIGN
Ambassador James F. Entwistle
U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria
US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
CHECK HERE VIEW MY DATA: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html
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Anti-fraud resources:
