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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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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.
- samak_chen@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "samak chen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <samak_chen@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2012 02:28:36 -0800
Subject: Awaiting your response
Good day,
Due to bad network we are having here in Cambodia we could not been able to complete your transfer through Online Bank Transfer as programmed.
Our network here was not able to coplete the programming, so we decided to use ATM MASTER CARD method to finalize the transaction.
We have programmed an ATM MASTER CARD for you and uploaded your total fund of (US$2.500.000.00)
Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) in the Card so that you will be withdrawing it in any ATM MACHINE,
That accepts MASTER CARD worldwide and the daily amount according to our programming system is (US$15.000.00)
Fifteen Thousand Dollars Daily.
Contact person Mr. Samak Chen, I have made the delivery arrangement with DHL DELIVERY
COMPANY Cambodia, they will deliver your card to your given address and the Director told me that Delivery Cost of the ATM MASTER CARD
to your house is (US$155.00).He assured me that their Company takes good 4-days to complete any delivery registered with accurate address.
So you are advised to send the
delivery charge of the ATM CARD with your full address such as:
Full Name: ____________________
Home Address: _________________
Country: ______________________
State: ________________________
City: _________________________
Zip code: _____________________
Telephone Number: _____________
Occupation_____________________
Send the Delivery charge of your ATM MASTER CARD through Western Union
Money Transfer to the following name:
Receiver Name: San Samy
Country: Cambodia
City:Phenom Penh
Test Question: what
Test Answer: official
Amount: US$155.00
MTCN#
SENDER'S NAME:
Please your urgent reply will be appreciated for immediate registering of
your ATM CARD. Contact us E-mail : samak_chen@hotmail.com.
Samak Chen.
91.192.53.208
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Anti-fraud resources:
