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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. )
- "moneygram" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
- MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a 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.
- 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.
- jameswilaim.wumt@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Dr Paul Nzem <BMW.@USA.GOV>
Reply-To: Dr Paul Nzem <jameswilaim.wumt@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2016 00:17:05 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attn: My Dear Customer
Attn: My Dear Customer
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your email response in regards
to your compensation ($1.5 Million US) payment through this MoneyGram
Branch Office here in Cotonou Benin Republic. We are instructed to
send your funds to your address in your city MoneyGram office from
here in Benin Republic office MoneyGram money transfer and you will
be receiving your fund ( $6,000.00 U.S. D) per day until you received
all your total payment which is the sum of $1.5 Million US as
scheduled in our office here.
We wish to convey to you that every other necessary arrangement for
transmission of your payment has been completed by the MoneyGram
Office , But we will not hesitate to inform you that it is now your
responsibility to officially settle for the re-validation
administrative charges of your payment file in order to enhance a
successful transfer of your payment without any obstruction along the
line.
Furthermore, we are therefore notifying you that you are to officially
make an administrative charge of ( $418.00 only ) to enable us process
the validation of your payment file through our head office here. Note
In MoneyGram transaction when an amount of fund in transition is more
than US$5,000.00 Dollars, the document file will be validation before
the transfer will commence as ordered by the Federal Ministry of
Finance and in all the MoneyGrams of the world-wide.
We want you to know that this is a legitimate transfer and that is why
our Federal Ministry of Finance said that your file which was
deposited at this MoneyGram with your name must be validated before
the transfer will commence.
Be rest assure that as soon you send this $418.00 we must start
transferring your fund to you through this Money Gram Department
without any further delay and this is the only fee you have to pay in
this transaction as it was written down already by the Federal
government of this country that mapped out the compensation for you.
You should send the $418.00 via Money Gram money transfer or western
union through the name of our cashier manager Rev Father Paul. Below is
the destination address:
RECEIVER'S NAME...Paul Nze
COUNTRY…….Republic of Benin.
CITY………Cotonou
AMOUNT… $418.00
TEST QUESTION……What Color?
SECURITY ANSWER…Green.
SENDERS NAME………………?
MTCN………………………………?
We are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this
department to release your fund immediately.
Looking forward for your anticipated response.
Very best regards,
Dr,Paul Nzem
Director MoneyGram
International Benin Republic.
Call For urgent discusion. +229 98 229 179.
jameswilaim.wumt@gmail.com
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