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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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)
- 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.
- western_unionbenin202@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Mark Ejimon." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <western_unionbenin202@hotmail.fr>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:47:37 -0700
Subject: PICK UP YOUR PAYMENT.
WELCOME WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WORLDWIDE ORDER AND INSTRUCTION FROM
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
Email;(western_unionbenin202@live.fr)
Telephone: +229 99-41-38-94.
REF NO: 250-153.
Attention: E-mail Owner,
THIS IS TO INFORM YOUR THAT YOUR $7000.00 HAS BEEN RELEASED NOW FROM WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER AGENCY. My Dear Friend,Mr. Dave Holt came into our office today. He gave us $378.00 usd to send to you the $7000.00 He paid all charges except the $98.00 dollars Out of Country fee which you are required to pay. Please hurry to your nearest Western Union and send the $98.00 dollars ASAP to this Address here to enable you pick up your first payment which has be release.
Receivers Name: Okonkwo Paulinus.
Country: Benin Republic.
City: Cotonou.
Text Question: In God
Answer: We trust
Amount: $98.00
As soon as you have made the payment, you are advised to send the below information to me immediately.
Sender's Name: Sender's Address: Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N)
HERE IS YOUR OWN WESTERN UNION INFORMATION THAT WE SENT ALREADY TO YOU BUT IT IS ON HOLD BECAUSE OF THE REMAINS BALANCE OF $98.00 THAT YOU ARE TO SEND TO THIS OFFICE? SO KINDLY SEND IT FOR YOU TO PICK UP YOUR PAYMENT OF $7000.00 THIS IS THE DETAILS HERE TRACK IT WITH OUR WEBSITE.
SENDER'S NAME:.......... MARK EJIMON
TEST QUESTION:............What Color?
TEST ANSWER:............... RED.
AMOUNT:................$7000 USD
MTCN....................0190647929
TRACK IT NOW IT WILL SHOW YOU AVAILABLE BUT YOU CANNOT PICK IT UNTIL YOU PAY THE $98.00,
SEND THE $98.00 TODAY(Website:www.westernunion.com) As soon as we receive the $98.00, we will release the $7000.00 to you hurry to nearest western union in your country and send the $98.00 now we are waiting for your urgent respond ASAP.
Regard,
Mr. Mark Ejimon.
Telephone: +229 99-41-38-94.
E-mail:(western_unionbenin202@hotmail.fr)
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