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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- 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. )
- "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "officemoney@qq.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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: IMMIGRATION <lijing@bjnac.gov.cn>
Reply-To: <officefile@qq.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 17:56:31 -0700
Subject: IMMIGRATION OFFICE
ATTENTION PLEASE
THIS IS IMMIGRATION OFFICE WE ARE HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE
YOUR PACKAGE HERE IN OUR OFFICE AND DIPLOMAT THAT SUPPOSE TO DELIVERED
YOUR PACKAGE, BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HIM BECAUSE OF THE YELLOW TAG
AND WE SEIZE EVERYTHING THAT HE HAVE AND HE CANNOT CALL OR TO RECEIVE
CALL HERE UNTIL HE PAY FOR THE YELLOW TAG AND YELLOW TAG IS GOING TO
COST HIM $50 ONLY SO YOU HAVE TO SEND THE $50 TODAY TO ABEL US RELEASE
HIM TODAY TO DELIVERED YOUR PACKAGE IMMEDIATE.
Note that if you still wish to receive your package do get back to us
Immediately so that we will remove your package transfer from the list
of Those package to be seized by the United States Government. Also be
Informed that we need only a DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY SEAL OF TRANSFER
(DIST) to complete the delivery . The fee to obtain the yellow tag is
$50 and no other fee is involved. You are required to send The fee of
$50 by WESTERN UNION to the issuing office at The bank where your
package originated as stated below
NOTE That you have to Reconfirm us your information's avoid wrong
delivery or mistake *Full Name,*Address*Profession*Telephone
mobile*cope of your ID cared
HERE IS THE PAYMENT INFORMATION SEND IT VIA WESTERN UNION
Receivers Name OFOR GODWIN
Country ...Benin Republic
City ....Cotonou
Test Question.... when
Answer ...today
AMOUNT to send...$50 USD
Sender's name...
MTCN Number.......
If we receive the MTCN today, we will release your package Before we
close office and the package will been delivered to you withing 3
hours after the yellow tag be obtain . We have been waited for so long
and we cannot Continue to wait.
BEST REGARDED
IMMIGRATION OFFICE
officemoney@qq.com
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