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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.THOMAS JOHNSON" <n.nnnnnnnnnnuabvzghgvsg@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "MR.THOMAS JOHNSON" <servicemoney_gram@yahoo.es>
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:23:23 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS NEEDED FROM YOU


 OFFICE OF THE MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER.( servicemoney_gram@yahoo.es )WEBSITE... WWW.MONEYGRAM.COMMONEYGRAM WELCOME TO MONEYGRAM:FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER MONEY GRAM INT’L.OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC. RUE BPH141 KINGSTON AVENUECOTONOU BENIN.  OUR REF: MT86TDM
GOOD DAY TO YOU.
I AM EMAILING YOU  SEQUEL TO YOUR  LAST E-MAIL, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING TO OFFENDED YOU IN ANYWHERE, BUT ONLY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW THE NORMAL PROCESS IN GETTING YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT THROUGH OUR OFFICE AS YOU MUST KNOW THAT I AM A MONEY GRAM AGENT AND ALSO  THE GOVERNMENT INC.COMPANY.YOUR AWARDED FUND,THE TOTAL SUM OF $4.8M USD WHICH WAS INSTRUCTED THIS OFFICE TO BE PAID TO YOU THROUGH ATM VISA CARD,BUT WE CAN NO LONGER COMPLETE THE PAYMENT THROUGH ATM VISA CARD DUE TO THE PROBLEM OUR ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT IS HAVING WITH WORLD BANK SO YOUR PAYMENT WAS MOVED TO OUR CUSTODY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO YOU VIA  MONEYGRAM DAILY TRANSFER.
NOTE:YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PAY THE SUM OF $89 USD BEFORE THIS MONEY GRAM OPERATING BRANCH CAN COMMENCE TO RECONFIRM YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND IT WILL SERVE AS THE COST OF STAMPING YOUR PAYMENT FILE TO ENABLE US SEND YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $4.8M USD BY PAYING YOU $4,000 TWICE DAILY AS IT IS ALLOWED TO SEND ONLY $4,000 PER A TRANSFER,YOU ARE HEREBY INSTRUCTED TO GET BACK TO THIS NOBLE OFFICE WITH THE REQUIRED FEE.I AM TRUST WORTHY PERSON AND WOULD LIKE TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR FIRST PAYMENT MUST DEFINITELY GET TO YOUR HANDS AS SOON YOU SEND THE(USD$89)TODAY.
YOU ARE TO ANSWER THIS LITTLE TEXT TO CONFIRM THAT WE ARE HANDLING YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT ACCORDING TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION.PLEASE YOU ARE EXPECTED TO REPLY BACK TO THIS MONEYGRAM OFFICE SO THAT WE PROCEED AHEAD AND COMMENCE YOUR PAYMENT ONCE YOU RECONFIRM YOUR PERSONAL FILE AS LISTED BELOW AND SEND THE REQUESTED FEE OF $89 USD TODAY WITH THE INSTRUCTION BELOW.
FULL NAME..PHONE....HOME ADDRESS....COUNTRY....CITY......SECRET QUESTION....ANSWER.....
USE THE INFORMATION BELOW TO SEND THE MANDATORY REQUIRE FEE TOTAL SUM OF $89.00 VIA MONEYGRAM TO ENABLE US PICK IT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT HERE AND STAMP YOUR PAYMENT FILES AND APPROVAL IT FROM THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND COMMERCE YOUR DAILY PAYMENT OF $4,000 TWICE A DAY.
RECEIVER NAME:::::: DANIEL EJIKEMCOUNTRY::::::BENINCITY:::::: COTONOUTEST QUESTION:::SKYANSWER::::BLUEAMOUNT:::$89.00 USD.
AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVED THIS EMAIL,KINDLY COMPLY WITH THIS INSTRUCTIONS AND BE REST ASSURE THAT YOUR PAYMENT WILL COMMERCE IMMEDIATELY BY THIS OFFICE ONCE WE CONCLUDE RECONFIRMING YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND STAMP IT FROM THE RIGHT OFFICE,WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY AND IMAGE OF THIS MONEY GRAM.
YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT DELAYING CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND MAY COURSE YOU MISFORTUNE IN RECEIVING YOUR FUND,YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT ANY LONGER.SINCE THIS OFFICE IS MAKING ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT TO BE SURE THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEEN COMMENCE  ONCE WE CONFIRM THEREQUESTED PAYMENT AND INFORMATION.
YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD TO SEND US THAT REQUIRED (89.00 USD) AND BE REST ASSURED THAT WITHIN 12HOURS YOUR MONEY WILL BE CONFIRMED TO YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU WILL CASH IT FROM ANY OF OUR CORRESPONDENT MONEY GRAM BRANCH THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY.
BE RE-ASSURED OF THIS MONEY GRAM OFFICE INTEGRITY AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY.
URGENT RESPOND IS NEEDED FROM YOU.THANKS FOR YOUR PATRONAGE,YOURS SINCERELY,HONORABLE MR.THOMAS JOHNSONCONTACT E MAIL (servicemoney_gram@yahoo.es)FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGERMONEYGRAM OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC©201O - 2014 MONEYGRAM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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