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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. )
- 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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
Fraud email example:
From: "Dr. Leonard Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <trustcargosl@cpll.cn>
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 08:17:55 +0100
Subject: RE: DELIVERING OF YOUR BELONGING ***(RESPOND)***DC
Hello my good friend:
I have been waiting for you since to come down here and pick your ATM CARD but i did not see or hear from you ever since a very long time now. So I went and deposited your ATM CARD at TRUST CARGO & COURIER here. The Reason is because I have traveled to United Kingdom for a business purpose and will not be back until next year. I have arranged with the management of the TRUST CARGO & COURIER to make your delivery to you with their new ATM MASTER CARD CREDIT OF $4million U.S dollars which you can use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine any where in the world. Now you have to contact the TRUST CARGO & COURIER by yourself with your full contact information such as follows.
FULL NAME
ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
PHONE /CELL PHONE NUMBERS
YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION
However, kindly contact the director who is in position to release YOUR ATM CARD.
CONTACT PERSON: DR: EMMA KROOZ
MANAGEMENT: TRUST CARGO & COURIER,
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: ( trustcargosl@cpll.cn )
I have paid for the processing and every other charges the only money that your are going to pay to them is 72 EURO which is equal to $98USD this is for their official security charges,So try and contact them and send the 72 euro or $98 to receive your ATM card. Contact them as soon as possible to quicken
the delivery of your ATM CARD, Let me know as soon as you receive your ATM Card of $4million U.S dollars.
SEND THE SECURITY CHARGES OF $98 OR 72 EURO BY WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM TRANSFER TO BELOW DETAILS AS STATED.
Receiver's Name: Ezechukwu Augustine
Address: Anambra Nigeria
Text Question: Color
Text Answer: Blue
Amount: $98 Only. OR 72 EURO
CALL HIM ON +23 AND GIVE HIM PAYMENT MTCN OR REFERENCE NUMBERS AFTER YOU SEND THE SECURITY CHARGES OR EMAIL HIM THE PAYMENT SLIP ON ( trustcargosl@cpll.cn )
Sincerely,
MR MATINS SMITH.
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