|
|
joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
|
|
"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. )
- ",000,000" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
- They don't notify winners by email.
- You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
- They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
- They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
- They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
- They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
- They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
- 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: "FEDEX SHIPPING" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <oyob22@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2011 11:28:22 -0800
Subject: Read Carefully and Claim Your Prize
FEDEX INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING DEPARTMENT.
Your Email have emerge a lucky winner of One Million United State Dollar ($1,000,000) in Microsoft End of Year Online Promotions Lottery.
Your Email Address was attached to Ticket Batch Number: YM 1109102XN won you the prize in our Third Category Draw held on 2nd December 2011.
Your package which contain the prize was submitted to our office by the Federal Ministry of Finance the co-ordinator of the Microsoft End of Year Online Promotions Lottery and it contain a brief case which Contain $1 Million usd and this include all it back up document to prove the money you will receive is legit and all document will be made in your name and this stand as security during shipment.
CHECK THE ATTACH FILE TO VIEW THE BRIEF CASE PICTURE WHICH CONTAIN THE ONE MILLION USD YOU WILL RECEIVE AND IT WILL BE SHIPPED TO YOU VIA FEDEX SECURE EXPRESS DELIVERY.
Due to i am the Head Manager of International shipment i have the right to know the importance of a package like yours and it need to have the best shipping security it deserves.
I have helped you to work things out the charge fee required now for you to get the package is $100 only and shipment will commence once the charge fee is received.
I want to assure you that this is the only fee $100 required to get your package and all it document shipped to you so you have nothing to worry about.
we were instructed to email you, due to the high priority of your package And everything will be taken good care by me.
Note: the total amount the brief case contain is $1 Million usd and it wil be delivered with all it back up security document you..
I want you to get back to me and below is the information you will need to send the charge fee to enable the Fedex Next Day Express Delivery.
Use the information below to send the charge fee of $100 via western union with the information below and shipment will commence the same day the charge fee is received.
NAME: EMMANUEL JOHNSON
ADDRESS: 29 AIRPORT ROAD
CITY: VICTORIA ISLAND
STATE: LAGOS
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
ZIPCODE: 23401
TEXT QUESTION: GOOD
ANSWER: YEAR
Once payment is made get back to me with the payment confirmation details required below so shipment can commence.
SENDER NAME:????
CONFIRMATION MTCN NUMBER:???
SENDER ADDRESS :????
YOUR PHONE NUMBER:???
FOLLOW MY ADVICE AND INSTRUCTIONS SO EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE AND REMEMBER EVERYTHING WILL BE TAKEN GOOD CARE BY ME AND I WILL MAKE SURE SHIPMENT COMMENCE SO YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
STAY BLESS. AWAIT YOUR REPLY AND THE PAYMENT CONFIRMATION DETAILS.
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY DEPARTMENT.
FEDEX BUILDING COMPANY
VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS, NIGERIA
EMMANUEL JOHNSON
|
Anti-fraud resources:
