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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:
- "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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- 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.
- +22997552819 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- w.uservicedepartmentbenin@yahoo.fr
Fraud email example:
From: "more" <edolink2@sudanmail.net>
Date: Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:00:31 +0300
Subject: CONTACT HIM FOR YOUR MTCN MTCN : 236 190 6500
My Dear ,
We have concluded yesterday with the Director of Financial Bank here in benin republic that you should start receieving your payment of $1.5million.usd through western union money transfer, but you will be receieving $7000.00 usd only daily per day.MTCN : 236 190 6500 has been made on your today Sender Name :Eddy Patrick, Track it now (www.westernunion.com).
So you are advise to contact the western union agent Rev.Jubilee Godwin right now on phone +22997552819 and re-confirm to him your full information, so that you can start to receive your payment immediately.This is thier contact email address (w.uservicedepartmentbenin@yahoo.fr)
And here is the information you need to send to him.
Your Receiver's Name.....................
Your Country's name /code........
Tel phone number...............
All this information is to avoid sending your money to another person, $115.00 is needed for the processing file, update us once you got it.
Yours in service
Financial Minister
Federal republic of Benin
Western Union
Barr.Edolink Moore.
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