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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:
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "i will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: " mrsmichelleo.bama" <K.@oasis.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: " mrsmichelleo.bama" <mrsmichelleo.bama@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2016 12:51:21 +0900 (JST)
Subject: HOW ARE YOU TODAY
HOW ARE YOU TODAY
I AM MRS.MICHELLE OBAMA AND I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU ABOUT YOUR BANK CHEQUE
DRAFT BROUGHT BY THE UNITED EMBASSY FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF BENIN REPUBLIC IN
THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC WHICH CONTAIN THE SUM OF $20.000.000 MILLIONS US
DOLLAR CREDITED FROM BANKS OF AMERICA THE DELIVERY OF YOUR HAS BEEN MANDATED TO
BE DELIVER TO YOUR ADDRESS ON WENESDAY 26 Jne 2016 TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU GET
BACK TO ME WITH YOUR HOME ADDRESS AND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER
BEAR IN MIND THAT I HAVE TAKING MY TIME TO BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR FUND AS
INSTRUCTED BY MY HUSBAND TO ENSURE THAT YOU RECEIVE YOUR FUND SUCCESSFULLY FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE TO REDUCE THE ECONOMY AND I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS YOUR FUND
IN REGARD TO MY HUSBAND MR BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA II AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE
SUM OF $299USD ONLY BEFORE YOUR BANK CHEQU DRAFT WILL BE DELIVER TO YOU ON
WENSEDAY,THE REASON WHY THE FEE IS REQUIRED IS TO HAVE YOUR FUNDS CLEARANCE
CERTIFICATE FROM THE ORIGIN OF THE FUND TO AVOID ANY HARASSMENT FROM THE
AUTHORITY AND YOU ARE ALSO EXPECTING TO BE ANNOUNCE AS WINNER OF THE SAID
AMOUND BY TUESDAY AS SOON AS YOUR FUND IS DELIVERED TOSO YOU ARE URGENT ADVISED
TO GET BACK TO ME WITH YOU HOME ADDRESS AND ALSO THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TODAY
FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF YOUR DELIVERY.NOTE THAT THE $300USD IS THE ONLY FEE AND
FINAL PAYMENT YOU HAVE MY ASSURANCE HOWEVER,ACCORDING TO OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE
ORIGINATED BENIN,ALL OUR COMMUNICATION SHOULD ON EMAIL FOR RECORD PURPOSE SO
FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTION ACCORDINGLY EVEN IF YOU DONT HAVE THE $300USD TRY TO
BORROW IT AND SEND IT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR LIFE OPPORTUNITY AND I
DONT WANT YOU TO LOSE THE CHANCE ANYMORE
PLEASE I WILL ADVICE YOU TO URGENT SEND THE FEE THIS MORNING VIA WESTERN UNION
MONEY TRANSFER TO THE LISTED CASHIER INFORMATION AS INSTRUCTED YOU BY THE
ORIGINATED AUTHORITY.I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVED YOUR EMAIL TODAY WITH THE
PAYMENT TO ENABLE THE ORIGIN SECURE THE REQUIRED CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE REQUIRED
AT WHITE HOUSE BENIN TO DELIVER YOUR FUNDS.NOTE THAT IT WILL TAKE ONLY 14HRS TO
DELIVER YOUR BANK CHEQUE DRAFT IN RECEIPT
YOU CAN FINE THE PAYMENT DATA BELOW TO SEND THE $300USD VIA WESTERN UNION OR
MONEY GRAM TRANSFER
RECIEVER NAME:mrsmichelleobama
ADDRESS:NO.2,ROUTE DE LAEROPORT,COTONOU,BENIN REPUBLIC
QUESTION:URGENT
ANSWER:NEEDED
AMOUNT$300.00
MTCN NUMBER:
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS TELEPHONE:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPOND TO YOUR EMAIL WITH THE PAYMENT TODAY
REGARDS
MRS.MICHELLE BARACK
THE WHITE HOUSE
{OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE US}
1600 PENNYSYLVANIA AVENUE NW WASHINGTON
DC 20500 USA
THE DELIVERY OF YOUR FUNDS HAS BEEN MANDATED TO BE DELIVER TO YOUR
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