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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:
- "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. )
- "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.
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Andrew thomaas <opspo@gala.net>
Reply-To: federalbureauinvestigationbeni@ymail.com
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 05:21:05 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Welcome to the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation
Welcome to
the Albany
Division of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation
http://albany.fbi..gov/
E- mail ( federalbureauinvestigationbeni@ymail.com)
200 McCarty
Avenue, Albany, Cotonou
Benin RepublicTelephone:
</SPA
Dear
Sir,
We have been
watching every single transaction you made since last year until this 2011and
you have to know that we are also working to make sure your funds which are
suppose to be delivered to you.
Also we are hereby
to notified by the federal bureau of investigation Cotonou department of the
insult you imposed on them by failing to comply by their requirements.
Your full
residential address has been forwarded to us for your immediate arrest to face
your charge but I deemed it fit to give you one more chance to save yourself
from this messing up and bear in mind that what you email us will judge you to
the court so please kindly made this payment done today and forward us the mtcn
immediately to avoid miss understand on the delivery .
We have been told that you have failed to dance by the
rule of the FBI
which will warrant 2 years jail sentence. Now I john
Francis Pikus the special
agent in charge of the
FBI Albany department I am giving you six working hours to effect the payment of
the $80.00 usd. To the FBI in republic of Benin (fbisecurity
)
with the information
written below:
Receiver: Mike Ofo
Receiver name======== Nwabunwanne .C.
Emmanuel
Country ============Benin Republic
City===============Port
Novo
Test Question=========Color
Ans
===============Blue
Amount============= $80.00
You have to try as
much as you can and make this payment so that your funds will be delivered
immediately to your destination.
You have to stop
every transaction you are communicating with other organization to avoid delay
on the processing of your funds.
Note that you? if you fail to stick with my advice or any delay will lead to us
coming directly to your address next week in your country so try and dance by
the rule and get back to me with good understanding ASAP.
Special Agent in
Charge;
Mr
Andrew thomaas
E-
Mail =(federalbureauinvestigationbeni@ymail.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
