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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:
- "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. )
- "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.
- 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.
- westernunionoffice893@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. David Glover." <".NT.ww"@jupiter.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr. David Glover." <westernunionoffice893@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2017 01:32:08 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear Customer
Dear Customer Here is the information to pick up your first payment of
$5000 through Money Gram store close to you
The International Monetary Fund in Benin Republic.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is compensating some scam victims and
your email address was found in the scam victims list. This Money
Gram®office has been mandated by the IMF to transfer your compensation to
You via Money Gram®Money Transfer.
However, we have concluded to affect your own payment through Money
Gram®Money Transfer, 5000.00 pay day until the total sum of $4.5 Million
United States is completely transferred to you the receiver. We cannot be
Able to send the payment with your email address alone, we are hereby
Needed your information to where we will be sending the funds.
Here is the information to pick up your first payment of $5000 through
MoneyGram store close to you.
Money Reference Number (REF): 691 339 72
Sender's First Name: Ezennia
Sender's Last Name: Ike
MTCN: # 691 339 72 (Track the MTCN by visiting:::::::::https://secure.
moneygram.com/track)
You Can Text or Call once you fill below
Information to avoid wrong
Transfer
(Receivers name)............
(Country).......................
(Address)................................
(Phone Number).....................
(You’re Age).......................... ........
(ID copy)...............................
(You’re Email Address)...................
Note that your payment files will be returned to
the IMF within 72 hours if we did not hear from you because this was the
instruction given to us by The IMF office here in Benin Republic. We will start
the transfer as soon as we received your information. You are hereby warned not
to communicate or Duplicate this message for any reason what so ever because
the US FBI is Already on trace of any criminals from any where
I am waiting for your email or text message once you pick up this $5,000.00.
Please text me your direct telephone number because I need to be calling you
once we send any payment for the information. Note we really need your current
direct phone number so that once we make any payment we shall call you for the
MTCN.
Reply to Email (westernunionoffice893@gmail.com)
You’re faithfuly
Mr. David Glover.
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