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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. )
- "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. )
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "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.
- 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.
- wunionoffice82@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Anthony William <anthonywm007@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wunionoffice82@yahoo.fr
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:18:46 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Attention Dear Valued Customer
Attention Dear Valued Customer
This is to let you know that through the board meeting held with the minister of finance we agreed to release all the over due payment in every western union office in Benin Republic to the rightful beneficiaries but the first payment we sent to you was misdirect and onhold because we missplace your name and address and we want you to recomfirm it to us so we can resend the the fund to you and start sending the 1.5million us dollars. You are to first pay the sum of $95.00 to our office for the renewing and reconfirming fee of your payment file to enable our office resend the first payment of $5000 to you in your name as the receiver today.
Contact Mr Andrew Hulbert
via this email address (wunionoffice82@yahoo.fr),Tel/+22998211297 and send the renewing and reconfirming fee to him for the immediate transfer of your first payment to you today. Call him on phone as soon as you have email them.
Send the fee today with the below information so we can commence with our assignment;
Receivers Name;.......Chibuzor Nweke
Address; Cotonou, Benin Republic
Question........ Hello
Answer...........Hi
Amount: .............$95 .00
Mtcn;......................... ...
Senders Name;............
After you have send the money forward the payment details to this office for immediate pick up and to commence with the transfer of your fund immediately.
Looking up to hear from you immediately,
Yours in Service
Anthony William
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