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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:
- "security keeping 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. )
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "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 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. Lary Okay " <"Felix.."@wonder.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr. Lary Okay " <mrlaryokay@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2017 07:28:32 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention
Attention
We the DHL Courier Company are to informed you that we have receive your email and the content is well understood and well noted with thanks, and also this is to acknowledge the recipient of your email that the delivering address for the ATM VISA CARD $4.3
Million United State Dollars which you sent to us has been verified and confirmed OK.
Right now we are about to commence on your delivering to your home address and we want to let you know that the only delay now is security keeping fee $59.usd to enable us stamp your package so that it will not be delayed or sized by any Custom's checking point on the way delivering to your home address, and also to have your insurance certificate signed because your insurance certificate must come along with your ATM VISA CARD so that your CARD will not have any problem on the way to your home address. you advice to hurry up and locate to any western union or money gram around you to send the fee $59.usd immediately to enable us commence on your delivering by tomorrow morning. thank you.
Here is the information you will used to send the fee through money gram office.
Receiver's name.............EMMA EGO
Country.........................Republic of Benin
City................................Cotonou
Question................Last Fee
Answer...................Yes
MTCN.....................
Sender's Name...........
AMOUNT..............$59.usd
You advice to be very careful to avoid wrong delivering of your atm visa card. I will be waiting for the Mtcn numbers to enable us commence on your delivering with out delay.
Mr. LARY OKAY
From DHL courier delivery company Benin republic. Office Number: +229-68553952.
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