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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:
- 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. )
- 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 <western413union@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 10:12:26 -0500
Subject: HELLO
This is to inform you that today your funds was release and transferred
via to you and the amount was $1.2 Millions. Now i suppose to give you all
the MTCN Numbers in order for you to pick up your funds bit by bit out from
the Western Union.
But right now there was transferred errors code which we need to resolve
first before your MTCNs can be giving to you as well . However, you are to
send the sum of $550 USD for the cost of the transfer code. Please you
should send the needed fee across to my personal name as the receiver name
and keep me posted with the MTCN.
Receiver Name. Emilia bortier
Amount. $550 USD
Destination. Accra Ghana
I am looking forward to hear from you.
Emilia bortier
Controller General of Western Union,
Union Togo and Ghana.
+233578682525
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Anti-fraud resources:
