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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:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- 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:
- "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. )
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- 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.
- updatewestern@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DR. ANDERSON LARRY" <moneyoffice968@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: "DR. ANDERSON LARRY" <updatewestern@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:53:27 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE IS COMING TO YOU
 THIS URGENT MESSAGE IS COMING TO YOU FROM THE WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC,
DEAR FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO INTRODUCE MY SELF TO YOU. MY NAME IS DR. ANDERSON LARRY THE NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WESTERN UNION BENIN REPUBLIC. THE FORMER MANAGER WAS SACKED THIS WEEK MONDAY AFTER THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF BENIN DECLARED HIM 12 YEARS IN PRISON DUE TO HIS SCAMMING ATTITUDE BY SCAMMING PEOPLE WITH THIS WESTERN UNION AND HE HAVE POLLUTED THIS COUNTRY BENIN REPUBLIC OK.
SO I WAS DIRECTED YESTERDAY BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE DR TONY FLORIDA THAT I SHOULD TRANSFER YOUR FUNDS TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS VERY FUNDS YOU ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE.
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THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU ARE TO RECEIVE IS THE SUM OF $1.5Million AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING $5000.00 PER DAY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1.5Million
SO THE MINISTER SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR TRANSFERRING CHARGE ONLY AND IT IS THE ONLY MONEY YOU ARE TO PAY BUT DUE TO YOUR FINANCIAL PROBLEM I WILL ADVISE YOU TO PAY ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE TODAY OR TOMORROW SO THAT YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR FUNDS TODAY.
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SO PLEASE GO AHEAD NOW ONCE YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL AND MAKE THE PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE, DEAR PLEASE JUST GO AHEAD AND SEND WHAT EVER YOU HAVE NOW SO THAT YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR FUNDS TODAY.
BELOW IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO MAKE THE PAYMENT:
1.Receiver Name :=========GODWIN EMELIE
2.City/Country:========== Cotonou - Benin Republic .
3.Question=============Who is Able
4.Answer:=============God
5.Amout:=============ANY AMOUNT
6.MTCN: =========
7.Sender Name=====
E-mail((updatewestern@yahoo.co.uk)
DEAR PLEASE UR URGENT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY NEEDED.
YOURS, DR.PHILLIP DESMOND.
MANAGER WESTERN UNION.    Â
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Anti-fraud resources:
