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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- 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.
- officebouns@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: officeconsult.1050@rediffmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:15:06 -0800 (PST)
Subject: FROM WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
P {
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UL {
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FROM WESTERN UNION
MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA
ROAD
DIRECTOR
( MR. RICHARD JONAS ) OFFICER
INCHARGE
TELL:
+229-96-89-78-30
officebouns@yahoo.com.hk
INTERNATIONAL
NETWORK
Good day.
Yes we have received your email as a
matters of urgent that we need from you as well concerning your payment of ONE
Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars $1.500,000.00 that is on our custody to
transfer to you.
However the delay now is the required $45.00 and
your full address where you want us to transfer the money to you, I hope you
still know that you will be receiving $250.00 every day through western union money
transfer till the whole fund is located to you.
Anywhere we are still waiting you to send
your address and the required $45.00 so that we can release you the first
payment $250.00 as soon as we received the payment of $45.00 you will start
getting your fund by tomorrow morning.
So you are advise to go ahead to the any
nearest western union or MoneyGram and
make the payment of $45.00 with this name and address as you can see below to
enable us to proceed on the transfer and see that you will get your first
payment of $250.00 first thing tomorrow morning with 100%
assurance,
After the payment of
$45.00 you will start receiving your money every day $250 by western union till
the whole amount $1.5Million U.S DOLLARS is completely transferred to
you.
Send the $45 by western union Money Transfer or MoneyGram with
this information below,
Receiver's name.................. Mr.John
Onyi
Country............................... Benin
Republic.
City................................. Cotonou
Text
Question........................God
Answer....................... Is
Good
Amount..........................$45.00
The moment we receive the
payment of $45 we will release the first payment information of $250.00,
Remember to email us the $45.00 Sender name and money transfer control
number(MTCN) as soon as you wire the required amount $45.00.
We are looking forward hearing from you
soonest.
I wish you good luck.
Yours in
service
Director (MR. RICHARD JONAS) officer incharge
!!!
E-MAIL( officebouns@yahoo.com.hk )
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