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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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 us 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)
- "abuja" (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: Minister Foreign Affairs Ministry <shellybobphyl@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: compensation.dept@w.cn
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:34:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: PAYMENT AUTHENTICATION.,
From.Hon. Dr. Garuba Gambo
Minister Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Maputo Street Zone 3
Wuse- Abuja-Nigeria.
Sir/Madam,
Re: PAYMENT AUTHENTICATION.,
I am Hon. Dr. Garuba Gambo, Minister Foreign Affairs Ministry; my office
monitors and controls the affairs of all banks and financial institutions in
Nigeria concerned with foreign contract payments. I am the final signatory to
any transfer or remittance of huge funds moving within banks both on the local
and international levels in line to foreign contracts settlement.
I have before me your fund worth $15.5 million us dollars which has not been
paid to you nor has been transferred to you, which is about to be tagged as
ghost fund and is about to be called back to the governments traesury as an
un-paid fund.
I am using my power to plead with the government to give you one last chance to
provide the required clearance certificate that will enable my office accelerate
and speedy your transfer payment to you today.
To secure and procure the required documents it will only cost you the sum of
$95 which must be paid immediately in other to enable my office assist you
secure the certificate now.
So we advise that you go to the nearest western union or money gram outlet near
you and have the $95 paid only as indicated below.
RECEIVERS NAME: OKAFOR PHILIP
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
TEXT QUESTION: BEST
TEXT ANSWER: INTEREST
AMOUNT: $95
STATE:LAGOS STATE
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
M.T.C.N NUMBER
Waiting for your reply soon.
Yours Sincerely.
Hon. Dr. Garuba Gambo
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER.
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Anti-fraud resources:
