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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:
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Frank Alex" <payments@westernunion.co.uk>
Reply-To: frank_alex48@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:33:17 +0400 (MSD)
Subject: Western Union Payments Center
Western Union Payments Center.
ECOBANK SARL.
Western Union
Send Money Worldwide.
Dear Sir,
I Hope My email meet you in a great State? I am Dr. Frank Alex. from
western union money transfer Present Remittance Department Manager cotonou
Benin On my verification on duty I discovered some huge amounts of funds
in my office Transfer Machine system, without any astounding Beneficiary
and the funds have been lying there since 2005. So I want to use you as
the Beneficiary to transfer the money and the amount $750,000 (Seven
Hundred And Fifty Thousand United state Dollars).
And my Company have instructed me to make the transfer to the beneficiary
with the legal authority and power confirm on me as the Remittance
Department Manager of western union head office cotonou Benin to release
out all control information’s of the transfer funds to the beneficiaries,
so I want to front you as the beneficiary for you will not regret
cooperating with me and if ok with you get back to me so that we can start
the documentation on the transfer.
I am looking forward to hear from your co-operation in this commitment.
Dr. Frank Alex.
{Remittance Department Manager western union money transfer Service Head
Office cotonou Benin Republic.
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Anti-fraud resources:
