419 scam: "Margaux Sebastien"<info@mail.org> 1 / 20 / 2015

joewein.net

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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "we advice you" (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.
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.
- margauxsebastien796@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Margaux Sebastien" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <margauxsebastien796@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:31:15 -0500
Subject: 1 / 20 / 2015

European National Central Bureau of Interpol

General Directorate of Fraud Compensation

Administrative Police

Rue Fritz Toussaint 8 - 1050 Brussels

Fax: +32 2 642 42 77

Dear Sir/Madam

We recently arrested a group of West African / Ghana, Benin and Nigerian/ United Arab Emirates Internet scam Artists in London and we have reasons to believe you have been one of their numerous victims. A thorough search of the computers arrested with the individuals and their confessions during interrogation has revealed to us that you paid certain sums of money to these fraudsters via Western Union and or bank transfer.

We have already initiated proceedings on your behalf with the West African / Governments and member states / United Arab Emirates law enforcement agency to ensure that as a genuine scam victim, you will not only recover your lost money but also you will be compensated for the financial and emotional stress you and your family went through because of the scam.

Our Internal Audit Bureau has estimated that you are eligible to claim a total of $2.5000.00 USD from the Fraud Compensation Committee set up by the European Union / West African / Nigerian / United Arab Emirates Government to ensure that properly identified scam victims are paid and adequately compensated from the $3bn allocated compensation loan from the World Bank and also your total inheritance will also be paid to you once you reconfirm your details of information of your payment to any of the government ministries /individuals.

You are advice to reconfirm your details of information for payment to this office within 72 banking hours,in response to any delay in communication this office will visit you for proposer investigation on this payment, every of your details of information is with us and we advice you to reconfirm the followings.

1.Your Full Name:..............

2.Your Telephone :............

3.Your Age:...............

4.Your Sex:............

5.Your Occupations:.............

6.Your Country and City:................

7 Your Bank Details ..............................

8 The Pages of International Passport Copies

9.Company Name and Address

Regards,

Margaux Sebastien .

Commissaris / Commissaire (Commissioner)

Email address : margauxsebastien796@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam