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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:
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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.
- moneygramonlinepayment14@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Secretary.Frank B. Favour" <frank.ben724@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygramonlinepayment14@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 17:17:49 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT VIA MONEY-GRAM PAYMENT CENTER.
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
MONEY GRAM INT'L.
OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC.
RUE BPH141 KINGSTON AVENUE
COTONOU BENIN. OUR REF: MT89TQ
ATTENTION:
This is to inform you that the Board of Federal Ministry of Finance Benin Republic are here to notify you of your payment inherited funds of (US$2,800,000 Million US DOLLARS After the meeting held on 5th of October. 2010. His Excellence the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN Has pass a mandate order to affect your payment to you through MONEY-GRAM TRANSFER for easier/Safety receive of your inherited funds without any further delay.
Be informed that we have already sent you $7000.00 US dollars through Money Gram as you will receiving $7000.00 per day Note that only the money-gram payment department has been given the mandate to transfer your full payment to you no other department.Although it was agreed that you going to pay the sum $75.00 only for your payment file endorsement note there is no other fee attached,
Please pick up this information and run to any MONEY GRAM office over there to confirm your first payment of $7000.00 US Dollars be fast to get back to the payment office for your second payment.
Here is the contact information of
MONEY GRAM OPERATION MANAGER.
DR Lawrence Ego
Phone Number +229-6656-4340.
Email:( moneygramonlinepayment14@gmail.com )
Be advice to reconfirm your information such as;
,
Your. Receiver--------
Your. Country---------
Your. City------------
Your. Tel-------------
Your. Test question---
Your. Answer----------
Your.Passport---------
Here Is The Senders Information
Website:www.moneygram.com
SENDER:NAME:..MARY CONBON
REFERENCE NO..57193638
TEST QUESTION...WHAT COLOR?
TEST ANSWER.....BLUE.
AMOUNT..... $7000 US DOLLARS,
Please do your best to comply to avoid canceling of your payment as your $7000.00 has been has sent to you correctly, it is in your own best interest to comply and forward those required information to Money-Gram Office.
Regards
SECRETARY FRANK Ben
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