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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. )
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "abuja" (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. LARRY WILLIAMS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info@atmcardcentre-com.tk>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 22:38:56 -0800
Subject: ATTN: BENEFICIARY
ATTN: BENEFICIARY.
WE ARE WRITING IN RESPECT OF YOUR SWIFT CREDIT ATM CARD THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE BEING DELIVERED TO YOU BUT WE NOTICED THAT YOU ARE YET TO RECEIVE YOUR ATM CARD PACKAGE DESPITE HOW MUCH YOU HAVE SPENT.
IT WILL INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT MR PRESIDENT (DR.GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN) HAS ISSUED ORDER FOR ALL BENEFICIARIES TO RECEIVE THEIR FUND IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY, NOTE THAT YOUR ATM CARD HAS BEING ACTIVATED / UPGRADED AND READY FOR DELIVERY AT YOUR DOOR STEP IN YOUR RESIDENTIAL HOME ADDRESS.
WE THEREFORE WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT FOLLOWING THE ABOVE STATED INFORMATION, NOTE THAT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO IMMEDIATELY OFFSET THE CHARGES OF DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM CARD PACKAGE / PARCEL WHICH IS $86 DOLLARS. BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SEND THE MENTIONED CHARGES OF $86 DOLLARS FOR THE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM CARD PACKAGE TO YOU AT YOUR HOME WITH THE BELOW INFORMATION OF MY SECRETARY THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
RECEIVERS NAME; OKONNE ANTHONY
ADDRESS: ABUJA-NIGERIA
QUESTION: GOOD
ANSWER: GOD
AMOUNT: $86 DOLLARS
MTCN:
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS IS THE ONLY FEE ARE REQUIRED TO PAY.
YOU ARE ADVISED TO GET BACK TO THIS OFFICE WITH THE CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PAYMENT SO AS TO ENABLE YOUR ATM CARD LEAVES IMMEDIATELY FOR DELIVERY. NOTE THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR ATM CARD PACKAGE WITHIN THE NEXT 48HRS UPON THE CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PAYMENT.
YOU CAN CALL ME ON MY DIRECT LINE: +234-816 740 9384
ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS.
THANKS,
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR. LARRY WILLIAMS.
TEL: +234-816 740 9384
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