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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. )
- 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.
- 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.
- westernunionmoneytransferpickup@yahoo.com.cn (Yahoo, China; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Western Union Money Transfer" <info@message.com>
Reply-To: westernunionmoneytransferpickup@yahoo.com.cn
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 06:00:28 +0800
Subject: Your Payment MTCN == 6850395616
Good day
I write to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00 USD dollars
through Western Union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your
full compensation payment of $150,000 USD via Western Union by the United
Nations Government.So I decided to email you the MTCN and sender's name so
you can pick up this $5000.00 USD to enable us send another $5000.00 USD
by tomorrow as you know we will be sending you only $5000.00 USD perday.
Please pick up this information and run to any Western Union in your
country to pick up the $5000.00 USD and call me back to send you another
payment tomorrow.
Agent: James Anderson
Email: westernunionmoneytransferpickup@yahoo.com.cn
Call or email me once you picked up this $5,000 USD today. Here is the
western union information, you can also track it on-line @
www.westernunion.co.uk
Sender Information's
Sender's First name = Yolanda
Sender's Last name = Dalag
MTCN = 6850395616
Amount= 5,000, USD
Test Question= To Who?
Test Answer= To Friend
Regards,
Tel number:+2348078268221
James Anderson
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Anti-fraud resources:
