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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:
- 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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "unitedstatembassy14@w.cn" (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: secretary Tonia Honisa <casarez3010@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: unitedstatembassy14@w.cn
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2010 11:42:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GREETS FROM UNITED STATE REPRESENTATIVE EMBASSY.
U.S. Department
of State
Bureau of Consular
Affairs
Washington
, DC 20520
UPDATE
THIS E-MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL
ADDRESS
Beneficiary/Owner number
2661428,
ATTENTION/
We are here to
inform you about a package with reference number XGT442KH which has been in DHL
COURIER UNITED KINGDOM facility custody waiting for resolutions of the clearance
to further the delivery to your home address as the rightful beneficiary of the
say consignment box.
We have
been waiting since for you to contact us regarding this consignment box which
Contain the sum of $1.500.000.00 Million United State Dollars Deposited in your
name as the beneficiary, According to the proof and evidence as we confirmed
from secretary Benson Jidego of Benin Republic Federal Ministry of
Finance.
As the DHL COURIER DELIVERY COMPANY are supposed to deliver to
you the Consignment box since but the consignment box was on-hold by US
Department of State Bureau and requesting for clearance certificate which will
be obtain from the origination of the consignment box before it will be released
to you from London, United Kingdom.
After the meeting held on 29TH of
October 2010 with the Government of Benin Republic it was resolved that the
delivery of your consignment box to your address must be complete within three
(3) working days upon your compliance to our directives; As the rightful
beneficiary you are to send the sum of $95.00 only to obtain the needed
clearance certificate from Benin Republic Federal High Court in the care of
secretary Benson Jidego .
The clearance charges which was initially on
the high price has been cut down by the US Embassy in Benin Republic considering
the poor economic situations that make it difficult for the middle class
citizens to meet up with the clearance of their entitlement.
We will upon the confirmation of your
clearing charge assign our Diplomat Agent (David Post) to travel to United
Kingdom and collect your Consignment and proceed with the final delivery to your
door step.
Therefore you are
kindly advice to send the require $95.00 to enable secretary Benson Jidego
secure the Clearance certificate as soon as possible.
You are to
reconfirm your below information upon receipt of this email to avoid delivery to
wrong person.
1- Your Full Name
2- Your Delivery Address
3- Your Contact Telephone Number
4-
Your Occupation
5- Your
Identification (Passport number or ID Card number)
SHIPMENT CODE AWB
33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442KH.
SECURITY CODE
SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT
CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01
Once you notify us with the required amount of
money along with the above information we will release your consignment to you
and the Diplomatic Agent David Post will convey the consignment box to your home
address.
Contact person: Mr. Felix Olusegu
Email: (
unitedstatembassy14@w.cn )
http://www.un.org/sg/management.shtml.
Note:you are to send only $95 to
Benin Republic as the origination of the consignment box in the favor of MR JOHN
ONYI as our accountant officer in Benin Republic for the securing of the
clearance certificate and you are to pay it to Benin and Send the $95 through
western union or Money gram once you receive this mail with the information
below for immediate release of your package,
Receivers Name:====John
Onyi
Country:===========Benin Republic
City:==============Cotonou
Text
Question:======What color?
Text Answer:
=======Blue
Amount:===========$95.00
Once you send the money, try to
notify us with the MTCN for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release
of your consignment Box.
Bear
in mind that every unclaimed consignment box will be confiscated once it is
returned back to IMPEX Office in Benin after 7 days.
So you are urgently
advised to comply with our directives so that your consignment box will be
release to you.
Yours
Sincerely
FROM AMERICA
EMBASSY
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