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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "affidavit of claim" (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. )
- "million us 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)
- "million 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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- 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.
- magnuscouedraogo@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Magnus C. Ouedraogo" <magnuscouedraogo1@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 16:45:15 +0000
Subject: Attention please
SUPREME COURT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BURKINA-FASO.
RUE:103 AVENUE KWAME BP 3085. 01 OUAGADOUGOU.
From: Hon. Magnus C. Ouedraogo Chief,
Justice of the Supreme Court of BURKINA-FASO.
Tel: +226-7679 9654
Attention please,
Provision of Affidavit of Claim Certificate for Legal Cover/
Protection of US$29.5Million Dollars.
Please let us start by apologizing to your humble and noble person, this is
because your payment file worth the total sum of us$29.5Million us dollars
has just been brought to my desk for cancellation which I have to taken my
time to look into your payment file to know why your over due payment
should be canceled and I found out that it was because of your inability to
secure your Release Approval Order Certificate (RAOC) that is why they have
resolved to have your payment of us$29.5Million us dollars canceled.
However, due to humanitarian ground and sympathy and because I do not want
your payment canceled so I immediately called up the president to explain
your matter to him as regards your payment and he personally called up a
meeting which was resolved that all payment charges and any payment fee be
reduced to it's barest menial in order to enable you afford to pay the fee
so that your payment be released to you today.
To this end it will interest you to know that every and any fee/charges
required of you have been reduced to only the sum of $250.00 us dollars
this step is in order to enable you have this only fee paid so that your
release approval order certificate (RAOC) is procured and acquired in other
to enable the speedy accelerated transfer of your $29.5 Million us dollars
into any bank account of your choice.
Please we want you to know that you have till the end of today to effect
the required payment so we can clear, release and effect the transfer of
your fund worth us$29.5 Million us dollars in our care to any bank account
of your choice, so we advice you to pay the $250. us dollars through the
western union money transfer below information and send back the payment
details to this office immediately the payment is effected by you now.
Send the $250.00 us dollars through Western Union.
Receiver's Name: Razack Philips.
City: Ouagadougou
Country: Burkina-Faso.
Question: In God?
Answer: We Trust
Amount: $250.00 us dollars only
Sender's Name:............................
Sender's Address:........................
MTCN Number:.............................
We want you to know that we are indeed very sorry for any inconveniences
any delay this must have caused you in having your fund paid out to you
long before now.
You will never ever regret paying the fee this is a promise to you after
all your pains in the past as we are here to serve you as our word is our
bond to you.
Confirm the receipt of this e-mail by you immediately and be rest assured
that you will be smiling to your bank once you comply with the above
directives now. Your urgent response to this e-mail now will go a long way
in helping us ensure your payment is released to you within 24 hours of you
acting as instructed you now.
Looking forward for your immediate response today only at (
magnuscouedraogo@gmail.com)
Yours
Faithfully,
Hon. Magnus C. Ouedraogo.
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME
COURT OF BURKINA-FASO.
Tel: +226-7679 9654
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