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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:
- "atm card department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
- "activation 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. )
- "million 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)
- "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.
- fromunitedbankofafricaplc497@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR.RODNEY PILE. JENSEN" <"www."@beetle.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "MR.RODNEY PILE. JENSEN" <fromunitedbankofafricaplc497@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2017 09:29:26 +0900 (JST)
Subject: MR.RODNEY PILE. JENSEN
IF REAL YOU ARE DEAD MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE AMEN
FROM UNITED BANK OF AFRICA PLC
Branch: Head Office: 270 Ozumba Mbadiwe
Avenue Apkapka, Porto-Novo:
Director, Swift Atm Credit Card / Telex Dept
Phone +1 (336) 656-8475
Our Ref:UNB /Republic Of Benin
this is my E-mail Addres contact us ( fromunitedbankofafricaplc497@gmail.com)
Good Day:
My name is MR.RODNEY PILE. JENSEN, I am the manager of united Bank of
Africa ATM CARD department in Benin Republic, I am here to inform you
that a man and a woman called Mr. Emerson Brown and Mrs. Jones Brown
came to our ATM CARD department office this morning and told us that
they are your brother and your sister from your country Mr. Emerson
Brown told us that you are dead.
Mr. Emerson Brown said that you die two months ago in a car accident
on your way going to work and before your death you told them that you
have an ATM CARD worth of $2.8 Million dollars and they came here with
$95 usd dollars the activation fee of the ATM card to activate the ATM
CARD and collect it.
If real you are dead may your soul rest in perfect peace AMEN, but if
you are alive please due call me on this phone number +1 (336)
656-8475
and get back to me with only $50 usd dollars activation fee today okay.
If I did not hear from you today with the $95 usd dollars activation
fee then I will collect the $95 usd dollars activation fee from Mr.
Emerson Brown and Mrs. Jones Brown and hand the ATM CARD over to them
okay.
Below is the information to send the $95 usd dollars activation fee
via western union Or money gram money transfer office.
Receivers' Name___Luis shola
Country___Benin Republic
City___Porto-Novo
ADDRESS:....NO.72 AGATA ROAD , COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
Street Name:..AGATA
Phone number:.+229 96356260
Amount:..$95
MTCN:
Sender Name:
Sender Country:
Do have a wonderful day if you are alive but if you are dead may your
soul rest in peace (AMEN)
Yours Faithfully
MR.RODNEY PILE. JENSEN
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