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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. )
- "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. )
- "processing 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. )
- "robert mueller" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real FBI will not tell you to contact some email address. If you are in any doubt, contact an FBI field office via www.fbi.gov. )
- 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.
- 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.
- fbi_office13699@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FBI <officefile202035@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: dhl3@live.com
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:48:46 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: ATTENTION PLEASE
ROBERT MUELLER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FBI
Attention Dear
This is to inform you that we have indeed discussed at length with the officials of the Bank of America and the United Nation agents over the immediate processing and issuance of the payment registration note to enable the Bank transfer your funds worth $2.5million into your account and they have shown some good reasons to be in the position to assist you.
Personally I pleaded with Rev. Pat being the director special duties and he gave me his word that he will do his level best to ensure that your payment registration note is processed and issued to you without any further delay and considering the fact that your dealings with him in the past was not successful due to the fact that you were not able to either go to Nigeria to stand for the processing section or pay the required processing fee which you considered much.
However, he said that since you do not have the much needed amount, he will only help you on the condition that you send just $125 to him via western union money transfer and he will get the balance to enhance 24 hours release of your funds to you though he said that you will pay him back any amount he helps you with as soon as you receive your funds.
Meanwhile, I decided that it will go a long way in guaranteeing that you do the right thing now in order to get your funds and for that reason, I decided that you send the money and forward the payment details only to me while I forward it to him and to ensure that he follows his promise. I have told him that I will only send him the payment details only when I am 100% guaranteed that he will secure and send the payment registration note upon the receipt of the MTCN.
Here is the payment details he sent to me for you to send the money with and I believe that you will go ahead and send this money without any delay and send me the payment details such as the senders name and MTCN.
NAME:AUGUSTINE NWEKWU
COUNTRY:BENIN REPUBLIC
TEXT QUESTION: COLOR
ANSWER: GREEN
AMOUNT: $125
MTCN NUMBER
SENDERS NAME
I await your immediate action on this matter and you can reach the Director in Charge on his direct email address: fbi_office13699@yahoo.fr in case you wish to confirm this update. Finally, I give you further powers to hold me responsible if for any reason this fails to work after you send the money as directed.
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
WASHINGTON DC.
http://www.state.gov/cms_images/Mill0406.jpg
FBI DIRECTOR
ROBERT S. MUELLER,
PRIVATE
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