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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. )
- "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. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
- 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 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.
- westernuion12@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- tel phone fax number: +229-9915-9470 email address ( westernuion12@hotmail.com ) phone number +229-9915-9470 and contact him with your (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: BARRISTER HILL BROWN <barrist-hillbrown13@msn.com>
Reply-To: <barrist-hillbrown1@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:26:53 +0000
Subject: REF: TRANSFER DETAIL OF ($900,000.00 USD)
THIS IS SUPREME COURT
OF BENIN REP.
UNDER FEDERAL MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
REPUBLIC DUE BENIN NO 98 ARIKU WAY COTONOU
ATTENTION BENEFICIARY.
We the board member of
Federal Ministry Of Justice
Republic Due Benin General of Federation wish to inform you
that WE
HAVE DECIDED TO PAY YOU YOUR MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION URGENT REMITTING OFFICE
SINCE YOU WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THROUGH MONEY GRAM DUE TO THEIR
MANAGEMENT BUT NOW WE HAVE SENT YOUR FULL COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $900.000.00USD
TO YOU THROUGH WESTERN UNION.
YOU WILL BE RECEIVING $5.000.00USD PER
DAY, BUT I WANT YOU TO CONTACT THE MANAGEMENT IN WESTERN UNION RIGHT NOW AND ASK
HIM FOR YOUR FIRST PAYMENT.HIS NAME IS ( MR.JOHN ONYI ) AND ASK HIM TO GIVE YOU
THE WESTERN UNION PAYMENT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO PICK UP YOUR
FUNDS THROUGH WESTERN UNION AROUND YOU WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.
VITAL
FINANCE BANK WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
DEPARTMENT.LOCATION ADDRESS; PLOT
1261,
ADEOLA HOPEWELL STREET CO/B/REP,
CONTACT PERSON: MR. JOHN ONYI
TEL PHONE FAX NUMBER: +229-9915-9470
EMAIL ADDRESS ( westernuion12@hotmail.com )
PHONE NUMBER
+229-9915-9470 AND CONTACT HIM WITH YOUR FULL INFORMATION.
YOURE
NAME..............
ADDRESS...................
COUNTRY/CITY................
PHONE
NO.................
AGE/SEX.............
CALL OR EMAIL HIM NOW SO THAT HE CAN PROVIDE THE WESTERN UNION
INFORMATION TO YOU AS URGENT AS YOU CAN.ALSO DO LET ME KNOW
IMMEDIATELY THEY
HAVE STARTED SENDING YOUR MONEY, BUT TRY TO COMPLY WITH THEM TO ENABLE THEM
SERVE YOU BETTER
THANKS AND GOD
BLESS.
BARRISTER HILL
BROWN.
SENIOR BARRISTER
OF F.S.H.C BENIN
REP.
CALL:
+229-6437-8223
barrs_hillbrown@hotmail.com.
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