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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. )
- "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. )
- 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: Mills Johnson <wwww.millsjohnson@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 23:38:43 +0100
Subject: PROF. MILLS JOHNSON WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
How are you today? I write to inform you that we have already sent you
$75,000.00usd dollars through Western union as we have been given the
mandate to transfer to you starting as from today.
Please you are ask to send us any telephone number to reach you
immediately and send us (5) to (10) names of different individuals so
that their names will be place on our system as the receiver of
$5,000.00USD per each transfer starting as from tomorrow.
your full compensation payment total sum of $1.5Million USD via
western union by this government which were sent to your full
information's bit by bit through Western Union Money Transfer will be
activated as soon as you follow our method of procedures.
Now, I decided to email you all your MTCN and sender name so that you
will pick up the $5000.00usd and also enable us to send another
$5000.00 in every one -one hour as you know we will be sending you
only $5000.00usd per hourly, but before this can be done please you
are ask to go through all documents been attach here.
Please email me your direct telephone number because I need to be
calling you as soon as we hear from you, please go through the attach
documents and follow our procedures immediately without any delay from
your side.
Thank,
Prof. Johnson Mills
International Remittance Dept
Western Union Money Transfer
Lome-Togo / Accra Ghana Head Office.
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Anti-fraud resources:
