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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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- 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.
- +229998 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- 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.
- w_uniontransfer@yahoo.fr (Yahoo, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Henry Fowler" <tituskoffi2000@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: w_uniontransfer@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 17 May 2013 11:56:32 +0100 (BST)
Subject: From Mr. Henry Fowler +229-998-829-65
FROM WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
WEB SITE.WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
DIRECTOR
(Mr. Henry Fowler ) OFFICER
w_uniontransfer@yahoo.fr
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
INCHARGE
TELL: +229-998 829 65
Attn,my dearest friend"From Mr. Henry Fowler +229-998-829-65
Yes we have received your email as a matters of urgent that we need from you as well concern your payment that is on our custody to transfer to you, Mean while if we received the payment now by tomorrow morning your payment will be release for you to pick it up because day is about to runs dawn here for today.So you are advise to go ahead to the any nearest western union and make the payment to enable us to proceed on the transfer and see that you will pick up your first payment of $5000 first thing tomorrow morning with 100% assurance,
After the payment of $48.00 you will start receiving your money every day $5000 by western union until your total fund of USD850.000.00 is completely transferred to you.
Send the $48.00 by western union Money Transfer with the information below,
Receiver's name== Chukwuemeka Ignatus
Country== Benin Republic.
City=== Cotonou
Text Question== God?
Answer== is good
Amount=$48.00.
Mtcn===
Sender's name===
The moment we receive the payment of $48.00 we will release the first payment information of $5.000.00, We are looking forward to hear from you soonest.You can call me with this number +229-998-829-65
Thank You and Be Blessed.
Yours in service
Mr. Henry Fowler
officer incharge !!!
E-MAIL(w_uniontransfer@yahoo.fr
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