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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. )
- "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. )
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "benkofameric@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "benkofameric@w.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.
Fraud email example:
From: "DR.AINSWORTH SMITH" <d_zslt@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: benkofameric@w.cn
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 22:21:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTENTION FROM BANK OF AMERICA
BANK
OF AMERICA
External Review Committee on Debt Statistics
And fund audit
Balance Debt
IMF-World Bank Collaboration
2195 SW 8TH ST
MIAMI, FL
33135
UNITED STATE OF
AMERICA.
Email: (benkofameric@w.cn)
OUR REFCODE:BSEL/773/AWN/021/08
ATTENTION;
good day to you and your family
over there, I hope all is well with them in good
faith.
The management of this bank have
receive your mail and the content is well noted. we have good news to inform you
in regard of the payment on your own benefit and quick to get your total fund
transfer to your account without delays,
well we wish to let you know that
the amount you needed to send to enable us wire transfer your fund is sum $195.
00 united state dollars to enable us proceed to imternational monetary fund
benin to obtain the needed fund certificate before the said fund will hit your
bank account.and you will send it to benin
republic as the origination of the said fund.
Therefore.your advise to follow
the instruction immediately and go to western union and send the requested fee
immediately becuase the president of bank of america instructed us to let you
know that we should inform you to come up with the remaining balance very urgent
$195. 00 dollar only and your total fund $850.000.00 ( Eigth Hundred
FifityThousand United State Dollars ) will be directly been transfer to your
account within 1hours as soon as you send the half of the fee $195. 00. You are
expected to reconfirm your bank account where
you want the fund to me
transferred to.
I want you to send us an email
through (benkofameric@w.cn)
Now we are waiting for you to make
the payment through western union money
transfer with the name of Mr. Nnaluo
Chinedu.
Receiver____________Mr. Nnaluo
Chinedu .
Country______________ Benin
Republic.
City_____________
Cotonou
Text Question_________
Yes
Answer_____________
No
Amount_______________ $195.
00
Note that your fund will hit to
your bank account immediately we receive the payment information because this is
your last chance to get your fund without spending anymore money again.Therefore
you advise to kindly send the fee immediately and get back to us with the Mtcn
Number immediately you receive this message.
Thanks for your kind
understanding
BEST REGARDS
DR.AINSWORTH SMITH
INTERNATIONAL
MANAGER
BANK OF
AMERICA
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