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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:
- 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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "fexmasseyofficesss@yeah.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- 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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
Fraud email example:
From: MR COSTMAX GODWIN <debbielangston839@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: MR COSTMAX GODWIN <fexmasseyofficesss@yeah.net>
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2015 23:37:09 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: ATTENTION YOUR FUND
ATTENTION:
BASE ON THE SECURITY OF CONDUCT GENERATED TO COMBAT CRIME RANGING FROM
MONEY LAUNDERING AND ILLEGAL SHIPMENT OF FUND AND OTHER RELATED CRIMES
HERE IN LONDON.WE THE BEIJING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CUSTOM LONDON ARE
SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU NON INSPECTION CLEARANCE TAG ON YOUR PACKAGE THAT
SHIPPING FROM AFRICA FROM ONE MR ANTHONY EGO FROM BENIN REP BUT AFTER OUR
INVESTIGATION WE NOTICE THAT THIS TWO BOX HERE CONTAINED SOME AMERICA
DOLLARS CASH IN IT AND WE INVESTIGATE ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT IS COVERING
AND BACKING THIS SHIPMENT AND WE NOTICE THAT ALL THE DOCUMENTS IS LEGAL
BUT NOW WE NEED YOU TO GET ANTI TERRORIST AND ANTI DRUG ENFORCEMENT
CLEARANCE HERE IN THIS AIRPORT BEFORE WE WILL RELEASE THIS FUND BECAUSE
THIS PACKAGE CONTAINED TOO MUCH MONEY
THIS TWO CLEARANCE WILL COST YOU 250 DOLLARS FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS
AND YOU WILL SEND THE MONEY TO THE ORIGIN OF THE FUND, SEND IT THROUGH
WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM WITH THIS INFORMATION BELOW:
RECEIVER'S NAME / DANIEL OKECHI
LOCATION / BENIN REPUBLIC
TEST QUESTION / Great
TEST ANSWER / God
AMOUNT / 250 DOLLARS ONLY.
YOU CAN GO AND SEND THE FUND WITH THAT WESTERN UNION INFORMATION SEND US
THE PAYMENT RECEIPT FOR SECURITY REASON AND WE WILL NOT RELEASE THE FUND IF
YOU DON'T SEND THE MONEY BECAUSE THIS PACKAGE CONTAINED FUND AND IT IS
ILLEGAL FOR US TO GIVE YOU NON INSPECTION TAG WITH OUT THIS CLEARANCE NOW
. AND YOU ONLY HAVE THREE WORKING DAYS TO SEND THE MONEY OR WE WILL DIVERT
THE FUND TO YOUR COUNTRY TREASURY BECAUSE THIS IS ILLEGAL SHIPPING OF FUND
BUT WE NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE EVERY OTHER DOCUMENTS TO BACK UP THE TRANSFER
SO NOW TRY AND SEND THE MONEY FOR US TO RELEASE THE DIPLOMAT BECAUSE NOW
WE WILL DETAINED THE DIPLOMAT AND THE PACKAGE HERE IN THE AIRPORT . BUT
ONCE YOU SEND THE MONEY WE WILL ESCORT HIM TO YOUR HOUSE OR YOUR BANK
BECAUSE WE DON/T TRUST AFRICA PEOPLE SO TRY AND SEND THE MONEY FIRST THING
ON MONDAY MORNING FOR US TO FINISHED THIS AND GAVE YOU YOUR COUNTRY
CLEARANCE TAG AND NON INSPECTION TAG AND ANTI TERRORIST AND ANTI DUG
CLEARANCE BECAUSE THIS IS CUSTOM FUND SHIPMENT!
TO POLICY SO GET BACK TO US AS SOON
REGARDS
GENERAL MANAGER
MR COSTMAX GODWIN
EMAIL;fexmasseyofficesss@yeah.net
Tele Phone : +22968971780
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