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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:
- "clearance 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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Ugo Nwanneka" <yulmetri@samoin.co.id>
Reply-To: cbnbook@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:30:33 +0700 (WIT)
Subject: Re: Tracking #: 1Z73257A0473182415
Hello my good Friend,
How are you doing today? Hope you are fine? Sorry for keeping you waiting.
I wish to inform you that your package leave Lagos Nigeria 31/05/2011
22:40 Departure Scan Order Processed: Ready for UPS to be deliver to your
home address am also very sorry as I did not get back to you in time to
give your tracker number due to my illness I was in the hospital all this
while. Here are the details of your package awaiting dispatch your
identification number is MMNG/CXS/4476, while your package color is BROW
and Pink.
HERE IS YOUR TRACKER NUMBER:
http://www.ups.com
Tracking #: 1Z73257A0473182415
Am back home from the hospital today and I track your package online to
see if it have been deliver to you through www.ups.com and I verify that
your ATM card has not yet arrive to your designated address and I called
UPS delivery company to found out what is going on and I was told by them
that your package has been hold by Non-customs Government agency. AWAITING
CLEARANCE AT THE POINT OF ENTERING AND DEPARTURE AT Louisville, KY, United
States INTL AIRPORT.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND THE CLEARANCE FEE WHICH IS THE SUM OF US$765 TO
ENABLE them BOARD TO MEET YOU AT YOUR NOMINATED ADDRESS BY AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. SEND THE US$765 THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER or MONEY
GRAM WITH BELOW INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN FORWARD YOUR PAYMENT DETAILS TO
THEM:
RECEIVERS NAME:.........JOHN DOKAI
RECEIVERS LOCATION:.....LAGOS NIGERIA
TEST QUESTION:..........IN GOD
TEST ANSWER:............WE TRUST
AMOUNT TO SEND:.........US$765
MTCN:....................
SENDER NAME:..
SENDER ADDRESS¡¦
CALL ME ON MY TELEPHONE NUMBERS +2348028647437. I AM WAITING FOR THE MTCN
FROM YOU. NOTE: Keep tracking your package online through
http://www.ups.com with your Tracking #: 1Z73257A0473182415
Thank you,
Mr. Ugo Nwanneka
+2347028647437
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Anti-fraud resources:
