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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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "westernu_nion51@xnmsn.cn" (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: westernu nion <westernu_nion51@xnmsn.cn>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:05:32 +0100
Subject: FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
Western Union®
FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.
WEB SITE.www.westernunion.com http://site.www.westernunion.com/
CONTACT EMAIL:(westernu_nion51@xnmsn.cn )
CONTACT PHONE:+229 97310594
ATTN;
WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR FUND TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR CITY FROM THE FINACIAL DEPARTMENT HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC.YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $5000 U.S.D ) PER DAY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR TOTAL FUND WITHIN THE ESTIMATED PERIOD.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES THE SUM OF $185 USD FOR THE $5000 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SENT, MEANWHILE SEND THE $185 USD TO US IMMEDIATELY TODAY FOR FASTER SENDING OF YOUR FUND CORRECTLY BY TOMORROW MORNING.
AFTER THE MONEY HAVE BEEN TRANSFERED CORRECTLY TO YOUR ADDRESS WE WILL MAIL YOU THE PAYMENT INFORMATIONS YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR MONEY IN ANY WESTERN UNION ARROUND YOU. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TRACK AND SEE IT AVAILABLE BUT YOU CAN NOT PICK IT UP BECAUSE IT WILL STILL BE ONHOLD TILL YOU SEND OUR TRANSFER CHARGE OF $185 ONLY.
REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $185USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO DIDUCT THE TRANSFERING FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS RIGHT OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DIDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOUR HANDS TO AVOID STEALING SOME OF THE FUNDS.
HERE IS THE ONE WE SEND TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $185 BEFORE WE CAN RELEASE IT MEANWHILE YOU WILL TRACK IT AND CONFIRM THE MTCN.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD TRACK IT AND CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER HAS BEEN MADE TO CANADA WTITH THIS LINK https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global
You will pick the money with this information.
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
Here Is The Senders Information
Senders First Name: ......James
Senders Second Name: .......Woodside
MTCN:........................237-034-5822
Amount Sent..................$5,000.00
FINALLY,SEND US THE $185 USD URGENT TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY RIGHT.
BELOW IS OUR ACCOUNT'S INFORMATION FOR YOU TO SEND THE $185USD THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BEEN OUR TRANSFERING CHARGE FOR YOUR $5000.00 USD.
1.RECEIVER NAME:.......Adili Emmanuel
2.COUNTRY:.......... Republic of Benin .
3.CITY :............... Cotonou.
4.TEST QUESTION:................GOD IS ?
5.TEST ANSWER:......GOOD...
6.AMOUNT:.................$185, USD
YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .
WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE TO QUICKEN THE PROCESS.
REGARDS
MR. JOHN BOOMA
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
_________________________________________________________________
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