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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:
- "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. )
- "registration fee" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (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.
- 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: "AMBASSADOR TERENCE .P. MCCULLEY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ambassadorterencep@w.cn>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 08:07:55 -0800
Subject: US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
11 GARKI ROAD ABUJA
ABUJA, NIGERIA
ATTN:Henry Butterfield
Base on your email I want you to know that this is the right time for you to get your fund, don't give up because I will not allow the federal government of Nigeria to transfer your fund to reserve account as on claim fund.
You are advice to stop any other transaction you are doing with any body from Nigeria
Note that Mrs okafor is among the scammer we investigated here in Nigeria,point of correction I am not Ambassador Robin Renaee Sanders I am the current ambassador to Nigeria and I must perfect my job as soon as you register with the some of $300 so go and make the payment immediately because delay might e dangerous .
I hereby advise you to proceed to western union with the money if you really know that you want to recover all you have spend all this while with the office of ECONOMIC AND FINANICAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) Be rest assured that I am coming to delivery the consignment to you as soon as you comply with the laid down instruction of my office by sending the registration fee.
SEND THE FEE VIA MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
RECEIVER'S NAME: EMEKA UBA
ADDRESS: LAGOS , NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: ACT
ANSWER: FAST
AMOUNT:$300
AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION.
MTCN NUMBER..................
SENDER NAME.......................
SENDER ADDRESS................
AMBASSADOR TERENCE .P. MCCULLEY (UNITED STATE AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
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Anti-fraud resources:
