419 scam: "Mr. Oliver Edward" <national.druglawc@yahoo.com> Attention: Dear Customer

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "required fee " (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. )
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
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: "Mr. Oliver Edward" <national.druglawc@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "Mr. Oliver Edward" <Weternunin.bn@consultant.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 23:19:49 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Attention: Dear Customer

Â WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT
UNION BANK, 414B AGBOKU, STE RITE DEPT P.O BOX 3698, SWIX EXPRESS ROAD

Attention: Dear Customer

Acting our capacity as the approved bank for released of your total fund sum of US$2.500, 000.00 Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars has today 6th of October, 2014 being processed and released for an immediate confirmation.

However, following your payment transfer you have been waiting for long now has been final release by IMF have made the final approval for transfer so donâ€™t be the one to stop your self this time around from receiving your first payment, I advising you go ahead send sum of $65 for the renew of your payment file and we will get back to you with the transfer information of your first payment.

Beneficiary of the total fund, you are advised to settle the required fee within 24 hours to ensure smooth transfer of your fund and issue out your final release/transfer number, so you are advise to go now and send the fee of $65 only via Western Union today the name of our receiving officer as written below to enable us conclude this matter.

Name of the Receiver: ---------- Mike Jones
Country: ---------- Benin Republic
Zip Code: ---------- 229
Test Question: ---------- Best Color
Answer: ---------- White
Amount: ---------- $65

Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN#__) is needed and sender's name:

Sender name: ----------
MTCN#: ----------

If you are still interested on receiving your payment follow the above instruction but if you have lost in stress ignore, but one thing we assure you is that no more delay just as you have pass through before for once your file is renew transfer will commence.

Upon confirmation of the above requirements, we shall immediately do the needful here in our office and commence the transfer of your first payment daily through our Western Union until your whole fund are completely transferred.

Thanks for your kind understanding, while looking forward hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Oliver Edward

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam