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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:
- "required 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. )
- "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. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- 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.
- wwesternunion52@yahoo.com.tr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "DIRECTOR .PAUL MBA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wwesternunion52@yahoo.com.tr>
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2015 02:41:42 -0700
Subject: contact western union money transfer
Attn: Client,
This is to inform you that Federal Government Nigeria is now to handle all foreign arias/debts. The Board of Federal Ministry of Finance Republic of Nigeria. are here to notify you of your payment inherited sum of which you didn't receive since. After the meeting held yesterday federal government has instructed Department to compensate all Foreign arias/debts. with the sum of US$600.000.00 also instructed this Department to
send your funds to you through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER for easier receive of your inherited funds without any further delay. To avoid paying money to Fraud stars that going on through Courier Company Note every arrangement has been concluded with the Management Western Union Transfer Nigeria,
They request your name and address were your fund will send to you through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. The maximum amount you will be receiving per a day is sum of $10.000.00. until the total payment completed.
Also you requires the sum of $74.00, for re-mewing and reconfirming your payment file that Department has been deposited in their office with your name and address. This is how you should list your information bellow;
Beneficiary name----------------------------
Address--------------------------------
Tel phone-----------------------------
Text question--------------------------
Answer-------------------------
Here is their contact information; Contact Person: Mr Alex Chika email: [wwesternunion52@yahoo.com.tr]
Note as soon as the required fee of $74.00 is send today for the renewing and reconfirming of the payment
file of your funds then you will start receiving your funds as from tomorrow morning.
HERE IS THE ADDRESS WHERE TO SEND THEM THE REQUIRE RENEWING FEE BELOW:
Receiver name:::ALEX CHIKA
City-----------------LAGOS
Country----------REPUBLIC NIGERIA
Question---------HONEST
Answer-----------TRUST
Amount-----------$74.00
We wait to receive the money gram payment information today.Please if you are not the real beneficiary don't respond to this message.
Yours in service
DR:PAUL MBA
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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