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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:
- "activation fee" (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. )
- "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: MR VINCENT REX <yarobaba_9@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: MR VINCENT REX <www.west_union978@foxmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2015 22:24:29 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR
ATTENTION DEAR
In acknowledgement to the receipt of your email it is well noted and appreciated and now i want you to understand that your first payment of $5,000 dollar is have already been sent to you out of your total fund of $10.5 million and it is still pending due to the fact that your payment file is not activated to enable you cash up your first payment in any nearest western union around you.
Now i want you to understand that i have no right to deduct any fee from your total fund for security reasons because it has caused many problem of the past and the International Monitory Fund have finally make it clear to us that on no account should we deduct any fee from the beneficiary fund, So i am urging you to try your possible best and send the re activation fee of $150 dollar today so that your payment file will be activated to enable you cash up your first payment in your nearest western union.
So stop having double mind in this transaction and mind you that this transaction is 100% real and legitimate because i am promising you that i will do everything within my power to make sure that you receive your fund once you send the fee today, So all you have to do now is to reply me back upon the receipt of this email with the payment information so that i will proceed with the activation of your first payment to enable you pick up your first payment immediately.
Mind you that your first payment is available for you to pick it up in any western union and you can track it with the bellow inform so that you will know that your fund is real and legitimate.
Looking forward to hear from you with the exact amount you have at hand now so that i will know what to do to enable you pick up your first payment today in any nearest western union around you.
Bellow is the details to be used in sending the $150 dollar today Via Western Union Only.
Receiver Name...onyeka john obiekwel
Country------BENIN REPUBLIC
Amount---------$150.00 usd
Your. Question----START
Your. Answer-----TODAY
Sender's Name----
Mtcn-------------?
Be advice that $150 activate is compulsory as they told me that is the only money you will pay until you receive your payment completely. Endeavor to E-mail your direct telephone number because you will call once the payment information is sent to you. Reconfirm your details bellow to know that i sent this to the right person.
Thanks for Using Western Union Money Transfer
Sincerely Regards,
Mr. Vincent Rex
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