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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- westernunionhandoffice47@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "David Mark" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <westernunionhandoffice47@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:28:49 +0100
Subject: HERE IS THE FIRST MONEY TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBER (MTCN):9342455723
ATTENTION,
WE THE WESTERN UNION TRANSFER DEPARTMENT URGENT REMITTING OFFICE HAVE SENT YOUR FULL COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $1.8(ONE MILLION,EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS, TO YOU THROUGH WESTERN UNION OFFICE.
YOU WILL BE RECEIVING 10,000.00USD PER DAY. NOW WE HAVE SEND THE FIRST PAYMENT TO YOU. SO CONTACT OUR DIRECTOR MR.FREDRICO YOUNG,AND ASK HIM TO GIVE YOU THE WESTERN UNION PAYMENT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO PICK UP YOUR FUNDS THROUGH WESTERN UNION WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.
HERE IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF WESTERN UNION.
DIRECTOR GENERAL:MR.FREDRICO YOUNG
EMAIL ADDRESS : ( westernunionhandoffice47@yahoo.com )
PHONE NUMBER :+229 68016289
THEN CONTACT HIM WITH YOUR FULL INFORMATION.
1. YOUR FULL NAMES:=========
2. Postal ADDRESS:==========
3. PHONE NUMBER:============
4. CELL NUMBERS:============
5. EMAIL ADDRESS:===========
6. SEX:=====================
7. AGE:=====================
8. OCCUPATION:==============
9. NATIONALITY:=============
SENDER NAME::::::::::::::: CECILIA MARK
MTCN:::::::::::::::::::::: 9342455723
Amount::::::::::::::::::: $5,000.00
CALL OR EMAIL HIM NOW SO THAT HE CAN PROVIDE THE WESTERN UNION PAYMENT TO
YOU AS URGENT AS YOU CAN.
THANKS
MR. FREDRICO YOUNG
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