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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:
- 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. )
- "million united states 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)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "wu.benin@information4u.com" (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: "Mrs.Ann Jim Mark" <jimaku02@ig.com.br>
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:25:05 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Happy new year Attention:Dear Beneficiary
Attention:Beneficiary
Compliments of the season to you, We are using this medium to communicate with you that the board and the directors of Ecowas and the British High Commission from the DEBT SETTLEMENT UNIT are working seriously with the European Union authorities to ensure that you are partially settled with the flat one million United States Dollars ($1M) being for the compensation of all the money you wasted and problems created to you by some corrupt officials from this Sub Region of the World,who collided with some impostors to victimize innocent masses.
Presently,I am mandated to inform you that the authorities are ready to pay all the people who were victimized by those corrupt officials according to the order of the human right commission.So, be notified that your names are among the 10 names listed in the first batch who are to receive the first payment,but it is left for you as the beneficiary to show your interest on the fund by forwarding to the payment department of the western union in Benin all your current information and data so as the enable him forward them to the organizing board to endorse for the swift release and payment of your fund via a Western Union from Benin Republic.
Equip them with your under listed current information to enhance a fast communication to you by the payment department for a rapid submission and confirmation of your name for your payment by the assigned Western Union Bank:
Your Full Names_______________
Complete Address______________
Telephone Numbers_____________
Occupation____________________
Nationality___________________
Age and Marital Status________
Sex___________________________
The aforementioned information’s are very vital to propel this payment without any further delay by the Western Union as soon as your information is submitted and stabilized in the debt clearance data base.
CONTACT THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THIS INFO.
E-mail:wu.benin@information4u.com
Phone Number: (+229)-98 66 72 11
Contact Person: Mr Paul Ezi Nwa
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Ann Jim Mark
And on behalf of the Debt Settlement Board
Robe L.620 St. Terita
Cotonou Benin Republic
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Anti-fraud resources:
