419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
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.
- +22999955917 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- moneygram40@sify.com (Sify; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Elizabeth charley Chukwudi" <yusufup811@vodafone.it>
Reply-To: moneygram40@sify.com
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 02:22:41 -0800
Subject: (Note: If You Have Received This Email Before You Are Advised To
Ignore This Message

Dear Sir/Madam//

There is an issue with the Money Gram Money Transfer in the amount of
(US$3.2M)Three Million Two Hindered Thousand United State Dollars to the
beneficiary directed in cash credited to file KTU/926775/03, at the owner of
this email address. The International Monetary Fund contacted us for your
Inheritance fund yesterday due to your allocated security code, we are
unable to complete a transfer directed at an email address, so we require
some more information in order to complete this transfer with our money gram
department.

Here are the information’s needed for you to fill out:

1. Full Name:
2. Full Address:
3. Marital Statue:
4. Occupation:
5. Age:
6. Sex:
7. Nationality:
8. Tele. Number:
9. Country of Residence;

In order to resolve this problem, please email via Money Gram Solicitors
Fund Verification Department: INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC MONEY GRAM OPERATION
DEPARTMENT.
14/17 TH MOTALLA MOHAMEDI ROAD PORTO-NOVO BENIN-COTONUO

MR.EMMANUEL MATHEW
PHONE:+229-999-55-917
EMAIL; (moneygram40@sify.com)
(Publicity Officer)

As soon as this information is received, our Money Gram Money Transfer
Department will release the first payment of $7,000.00us (Seven Thousand
United State Dollars) Transfer Reference Number to you, send the cost of
Inheritance file to enable our money gram replace your name and address on
the first payment of 7000.00usd as it required by BENIN MINISTRY OF FINANCE.
Only charge in receiving this payment is the cost of the inheritance file,
contact our money gram Mr. Emmanuel Mathew, he will direct best on how to
get the needed file and the cost.When emailing, please use the (Reference
number 250-33) for our mutual convenience.

Please Remember that once the Inheritance files issue, you will start
receiving your daily payment per $7,000.00us till the total ($3.2Mus)Three
Million Two Hindered Thousand United State Dollars transfer to your
name.Yours

Sincerely,

Mrs.Elizabeth charley Chukwudi
**Customer Service**
(Note: If You Have Received This Email Before You Are Advised To Ignore This
Message

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam