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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:

Fraud email example:

From: Money Gram Payment unit <moneygramtransferdesk@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 04:10:29 -0800 (PST)
Subject: POSTAGE STATUS!!!


P {
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MONEY
GRAM REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT.
178 AVENUE PAPE JEAN PAUL II,
01 B.P.
2020, COTONOU REPUBLIC DU BENIN
 
MONEY GRAM
INTERNATIONAL
MONEY TRANSFER SERVICE OFFICE BONANZA 2010
AWARD. 
 
Attention Beneficiary;

 

 
INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE
HEADQUARTERS HERE IN PORTO-NOVO, THE CAPITAL STATE OF BENIN REPUBLIC, STATES
THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT YOUR PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR
REFERENCE NUMBER TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $3,500.00. FROM YOUR TOTAL
FUND OF ( SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT
DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY
WHATEVER YOU HAVE  OUT OF THE THE TOTAL FEE OF $99 FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE
YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED CHARGE, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
HERE.YOU ARE TO PAY WHAT EVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE AND WE WILL
ACTIVATE YOUR REFERENCE NUMBER UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.

BE INFORMED
THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE FEE OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF
YOUR FIRST $3,500. 00 ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO
PAY THE BALANCE CHARGE WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TO DEACTIVATE YOUR
REFERENCE NUMBER OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE FEE, I WANT
YOU TO SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION
BELLOW.

PLEASE ANY AMOUNT YOU SEND LET US KNOW AND YOU CAN SEND US THE
REFERENCE NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE
TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECEIPT OF YOUR $3,500.00. AT THE SAME
DAY. REGARDS MRS JERRY BECKY, FROM MONEY GRAM INTERNATIONAL MONEY
TRANSFER OFFICE PORTO-NOVO BENIN
REPUBLIC.

 
1. RECEIVER
NAME:............. IKE MIKE OTEEGA 
2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN
REPUBLIC
3. CITY :............... PORTO NOVO .
4. TEST
QUESTION:....HONEST
5.TEST
ANSWER:......TRUST.
6.MTCN..........


In addition to this, we have decided to
compensate our entire client due to their inability to pay the requested fee
from the authorities, the compensation started this morning been 13th of
December and it will end on 15th of December 2010 by reducing the high cost to
low amount.
 
As the matter of fact, the transferring fee and all cost
requested from the authorities has been cut down to any amount as you
can afford and that is only money you have to pay to receive your payment
because the transferring of your fund were approved and signed as well and we do
contacted you today for your immediate attention over it.
 
Note that
anything that has the beginning is also has the end in that case, first come
first serve.
 
MONEY GRAM INTERNATIONAL MONEY
TRANSFER SERVICE OFFICE.
 
You are entitle to receive your payment today
if you do send the money today as well
 
We are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this
department to release your payment immediately.
Look forward for your anticipated response.

 
Sign.

Very best
regards,
Operator Manager, MRS
JERRY BECKY.
Operator Money Gram
International Benin
Republic.
 


 

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