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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:
- "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. )
- "certificate 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. )
- "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. )
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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.
- josepheze36@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: JOSEPH EZE <"EZE....."@dune.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "josepheze36@gmail.com" <josepheze36@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2016 11:52:53 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR I AM DIPLOMATIC AGENT MR. JOSEPH EZE;
ATTENTION DEAR I AM DIPLOMATIC AGENT MR. JOSEPH EZE;
I am Diplomatic Agent MR. JOSEPH EZE; I have been trying to reach you on
your email about four hours from now, just to inform you about my
successful arrival at Memphis International Airport Tennessee,2491
Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116, United States with your consignment
boxes worth $3.2Million Dollars which I have been instructed by UPS EXPRESS
DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you.
The Airport Authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to
them that the fund is no way related with drug, I have presented the papers
I handed to them and they are very much pleased with the papers I presented
but the only thing that is still keeping me here is the airport DELIVERY
CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE which is not placed on the packages, one of the
Airport Authority has advise that we get the DELIVERY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery successful
to you immediately. Then I try to reason with them and they stated that the
DELIVERY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE will cost you only $109USDollars to obtain
the document placed on the packages as that document will enable me deliver
your funds to you today.
Please try as much as you can to reach me on Phone as I can not afford to
spend much time here .
Bellow is the information to send the $109 to Benin republic via western
union or money gram.
Receiver's Name_______ANNI OFOR
Country_______________Benin Republic
City _________________Cotonou
Text Question________URGENT
Answer_______________REPLY
Amount______________$109 USD
Sender's Name_______
MTCN___________
You will direct the DELIVERY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE fee to our Head Office
as they will get it here for you and they are entitled to receive and make
any payment to foreign countries authority. Email me with payment
information or call me once you send it to enable me proceed with the
delivery immediately okay
TEXT SMS OR CALL ME (415) 663 7212
Meanwhile you are advice to reconfirm the below information upon contacting
to avoid wrong delivery.
Your Full Name............
Your Country.................
Your Delivery Address..........
Your Contact Telephone Number.............
Mobile Phone Number...........
Your Occupation.............
COPY OF YOUR ID.......
Age/Sex.................
Be inform to send the $109 to ( ANNI OFOR ) in Federal
Ministry of Finance Benin Republic where the DELIVERY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
will be obtain for you.
Email me the payment information as soon as you made the payment available
to
the name of ( ANNI OFOR) in Federal Ministry of Finance.
Email: (josepheze36@gmail.com)
Regards
DIPLOMAT MR. JOSEPH EZE.
YOUR DELIVERY AGENT
TELEPHONE: TEXT ME OR CALL (415) 663 7212
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