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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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 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.
- mrpaulbryan@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: mrsroselineandrewson <WWW.@wing.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: mrsroselineandrewson <mrsroselineandrewson@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 22:45:17 +0900 (JST)
Subject: CONTACT MR PAUL BRYAN :+1330 237 6404
DEAR
BENEFICIARY,
THIS IS TO
INFORM YOU THAT THIS OFFICE WAS INSTRUCTED TO
PAY
YOUR FUND $9,8
MILLION USA
DOLLARS BY AMERICA SECURITY
LEADING TEAM AND
AMERICA
REPRESENTATIVE
EMBASSY
BETWEEN NOW TILL END OF SEP .2016 PER DAY YOU WILL
RECEIVE THE SUM OF
$5,000
DOLLARS HOWEVER BE INFORMED THAT WE
HAVE SEND THE SUM
OF $5,000 DOLLARS
THIS
MORNING TO AVOID
CANCELLATION OF YOUR PAYMENT YOU HAVE
ONLY FOUR HOURS TO
CALL THIS
OFFICE UPON THE RECEIPT OF THIS EMAIL THE
MAXIMUM
AMOUNT YOU WILL BE
RECEIVING
PER A DAY
STARTING FROM TODAY IS $5,000 IN THREE
DIFFERENT PAYMENTS
AND THE
MTCN OF TODAY IS BELOW.
Sender's first name: Cyrille Vital
Sender’s second name:
Guifo
(MTCN) : ONCE YOU
RESPOND TO AVOID MISTAKE or HACKERS
Question: Who Is Great
Answer: God
Amount:
$5000.00USDFURTHERMORE YOU ADVISED
TO CALL
THE
MONEYGRAM OFFICE
DIRECTOR
MR PAUL BRYAN
AS
THE
INSTRUCTION WAS PASSED THAT WITHIN FOUR
HOURS WITHOUT
HEARING FROM YOU.
YOUR
PAYMENT WILL BE
CANCELLED.IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE
NUMBER TO CALL IS BELOW
LISTED MANAGER DIRECTOR OFFICE RELEASE ORDER:(++1330 237 6404)
(MRPAULBRYAN@YAHOO.COM)
REMEMBER THAT YOUR FULL INFORMATION IS
ALSO NEEDED SUCH AS Receiver's
Name_______________
Address: ________________
Country:
____________
Phone Number: _____________
BEST REGARDS
MRS ROSELINE ANDREWSON
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
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Anti-fraud resources: