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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- 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.
- f.dunfordgeneraljoseph0@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "GENERAL JOSEPH F. DUNFORD" <GENERAL@students.yarsi.ac.id>
Reply-To: f.dunfordgeneraljoseph0@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2016 02:02:57 +0200
Subject: Attention Beneficiary:THE SHIPMENT OF YOUR ATM CARD
FROM THE DESK OF COMMANDER GENERAL
JOSEPH F. DUNFORD UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS GENERAL
MY NAME IS GENERAL JOSEPH F. DUNFORD I WORKED AS COMMANDER GENERAL TO THE
U.S FOR OVER 39 YEARS AND ALSO AN AMERICA CITIZEN.
IT SEEMS YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS IN REGARD TO THE SHIPMENT OF YOUR VISA CREDIT
CARD PACKAGE ANYMORE I JUST RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM THE AIRPORT CUSTOM
DEPARTMENT IN REGARD TO THE DELAY THAT YOU HAVE OCCURRED AND THEY WILL
RETURN YOUR VISA CREDIT CARD AND IT BACK UP DOCUMENT PACKAGE TO THE
FEDERAL FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS UNCLAIMED PACKAGE IF ANY SIGN OF SERIOUSNESS
IS NOT SHOWN.
I SEND AN UPDATE TO THE F.B.I AGENT MR.JAMES COMEY AND ALSO TO THE
HOMELAND SECURITY AGENT JEH CHARLES JOHNSON AND I EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO
THEM.
THEY PROMISE TO ASSIST AND MAKE SURE YOUR PACKAGE IS SHIPPED ONCE THE
REQUIRED CHARGE FEE DELAYING THE SHIPMENT IS $150 TO BE PAY BY YOU AND
YOUR SHIPMENT WILL COMMENCE THAT SAME DAY VIA D.H.L EXPRESS DELIVERY WHICH
WILL TAKE ONLY 2 OR 3 HOURS TO GET THE PACKAGE DELIVERED TO YOU.
D.H.L EXPRESS DELIVERY SHIPPING FLIGHT WILL TAKE OFF TODAY BY 2:30PM SO
YOU NEED TO ACT FAST SO YOUR PACKAGE CAN BE SHIPPED TODAY.
NOTE: THE TOTAL AMOUNT THE VISA CREDIT CARD CONTAIN IS $20 MILLION USD AND
IT HAVE ACCESS TO MAKE WITHDRAW AND TRANSACTION WORLD WIDE WITH IT
SECURITY CODE PIN WHICH YOU WILL USE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT TOWARD THIS PACKAGE BUT YOU NEED TO ACT FAST
SO YOU CAN REGAIN ALL YOU HAVE SPENT MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO TRY YOUR BEST
AND SEND FEE WHICH IS THE $150 SO THAT EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE FAST TO
ENABLE THE SHIPMENT OF YOUR PACKAGE TODAY AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST FEE I
ASSURE YOU.
USE THE DETAILS BELOW TO SEND THE $150 VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEY-GRAM
CENTER SO THE CHARGE FEE CAN BE PAID TO ENABLE THE SHIPMENT.
RECEIVERS NAME: Blong Vang
RECEIVERS Address: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Country: USA
QUESTION: WHEN?
ANSWER: NOW
AMOUNT: $150.USD
NUMBER:.......
ONCE PAYMENT IS MADE GET BACK TO ME WITH THE REQUIRED PAYMENT CONFIRMATION
DETAILS LISTED BELOW.
SENDER NAME:....?
MTCN NUMBER.....?
SENDER ADDRESS....?
REMEMBER THIS IS THE ONLY FEE REQUIRED AND YOU NEED TO TRY YOUR BEST TO
SEND THE FEE TO ENABLE SHIPMENT TODAY OK.
AWAIT YOUR REPLY AND THE REQUIRED PAYMENT CONFIRMATION DETAILS.
EMAIL: ( f.dunfordgeneraljoseph0@yahoo.com )
GENERAL JOSEPH F. DUNFORD
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