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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:
- "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. )
- "you are required to pay " (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. )
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "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.
- Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
- 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.
- 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.
- paymentcenter88@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr.Doris Edwin" <jeerry_lewiseze88@yahoo.dk>
Reply-To: paymentcenter88@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:43:23 +0100 (BST)
Subject: A MAN CAME FROM INDONESIA WITH A POWER OF ATTORNEY IN RESPECT OF YOUR FUND.
A MAN CAME FROM INDONESIA WITH A POWER OF ATTORNEY IN RESPECT OF YOUR FUND.
Attention owner of this email
I write to inform you about the recent development that just took place in our office in respect of your fund. A man came from Indonesia by 12: 00pm with a power of attorney & also with $950 in respect of your fund and he said that you are the rightful person that sent him. So that is why I tried to email you so that you will tell me what to do about it. Here is the information he came with where the fund should be diverted to.
Receiver Name: Mr. David Johnson
Address: Kemuning Ray Street NO.8 Tomang Jakarta Indonesia
Home Cell Phone: (+62) 92-24-75-891
Mobile Phone: (+62) 92-24-75-882
Office Phone: (+62) 92-55-75-877
email....Davidjohnson@edu.net
Nationality: Indonesia
Sex: Male
Picture: Present.
Meanwhile we have contacted the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) and She is under their net now for investigation.Therefore we want you to get back to us with immediate effect letting us know whether you truely sent Mr. David Johnson to claim your fund.
The management of Western union have secured and the neccesary documentations that are required and also sent a delegate to federal ministry of finance Rep Du Benin, You fund have been release and ready to transifer $5000 per day to your nominated address. However the only money you are required to pay now is the sum of $95 for renewing and reconfirming of your file from the presidential office, which they are requesting before the western union transfer unit will be finally release the mtcn of $5000 which they have send to you today.
Therefore what is required from you now is to let us know whether you give the power of attorney to Mr. David Johnson the gentle man from Indonesia. If yes, write us an email so that we will get him released by the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) and then proceed with the transfer to his address. If no, write us an email letting us know that you do not have anything to do with Mr. David Johnson so that we will let the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) know what is going on as they are waiting to here from us what next to do.
But if you do not send Mr. David Johnson, In order to proceed with the transfer to his address you are required to go to the western union office and send us the sum of $95 today to avoid any delay with the below details, get back to us with the payment information so that we will forward it into the western union agents to enable them pay for the file reconfirming fee and proceed the transfer of your fund today $5000 per day.
Receivers Name:Dibor R Ojiakor
City: Cotonou
Country: Republic of Benin
Test Question: In GOD
Answer: We All Trust
Amount: $95 Only
Yours in service
Dr Doris Edwin
Western Union Boss
E-MAIL( paymentcenter88@yahoo.com)
Financial Minister
Federal Republic of Benin
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