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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "cotonou" (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.
Fraud email example:
From: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER <info.office222@yahoo.cn>
Reply-To: info.westernunionmtransferbj@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:39:30 +0800 (CST)
Subject: ****SPAM**** ATTENTION TO YOU ,
: info.westernunionmtransferbj@yahoo.frATTENTION TO YOU (M.T.C.N):: 7734433038
ATTENTION TO YOU ,
I
want to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00 US Dollars
through Western union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your
winning term full overdue payment total sum of $30,000 USU, via western
union by the Ministry of
Finance. I tried reaching you on phone to give you all the information
on phone but I couldn't get through yesterday, So I decided to email you
the MTCN and senders name so that you can pick up the $5000.00 to
enable us send another $5000.00 today as you know we will be sending you
$5000.00 only per day. And it was agreed that you will pay the transfer
clearance certificate which is the sum of $55 only before the release
of the payment to you, now the money is on hold you cannot pick it
until you send the $55 dollar.
Please
pick up this information and locate any western union around to pick up
the $5000.00 and call the Posting Manager Dr. Jack Hill because he is
the person in charge of your payment.
Below
is the western union information to pick up the $5000.00; which you
will be receiving daily after you sent them their transfer clearance
certificate of $55 and it will serve as re-confirmation of your payment
file in their office.
Here is the payment information of the one sent to you. Today but it is still on hold until you send the needed $55 dollar today
Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N):: 7734433038
Sender Country: Benin Republic
Sender First Name: Juliette
Second Name: Chapin
Test Question: What Cornflour
Answer: Red
Amount: 5000usd
Mtcn number: 7734433038
Western union Web Site In Bracket/
(https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global)
Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N): 7734433038 track
it and be sure ok.
They
will be waiting to hear from you with the transfer clearance
certificate payment of $55 today; And you have to also use this below
information to send the required transfer charges of $55 only today.
Receiver:............ Emmanuel Mba
Country:.............Benin Republic
City:............Cotonou
country code.....00229
Question:......... Within
Answer:......... 40minutes
Amount........$55 us-dollar
Sender name.....
MTCN.......
Be
advice that $55 dollar transfer clearance certificate is compulsory as
they told me that is the only money you will pay until you receive your
payment completely. Endeavor to E-mail your direct telephone number
because you will call once the payment information is sent to you.
Best Regards
Dr. Jack Hill
FROM WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.
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