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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. )
- "the required fees" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- 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.
- mgram047@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Barr.Peter Chukwu" <"www."@abelia.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Barr.Peter Chukwu" <mgram047@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2017 10:28:52 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention: Honorable Beneficiary
Attention: Honorable Beneficiary
I am writing to inform you that we have sent $5,000 Usd via Money Gram
as we have been given the mandate to transfer your payment of the
total compensation of $2.8, million united state dollars via Money
Gram.You are to track the first payment with our website below to
confirm the availability of the below payment details: To track simply
follow the instructions, click on the below website.
https://secure.moneygram.com/track
Reference #:94 57 53 79
Sender first Name:Mark
Last Name:Ambros
Be informed that your funds was placed on Hold; thereby you can not
Pick up immediately due to an instruction from IMF
Office(International Monetary Fund) that you have to obtain the Fund
Clearance Certificate (FCC). This Certificate is to Bear you the
Original Beneficiary of the Fund and make a change of the Receiver to
your Name, and this Certificate will cost $65 only, which are to be
paid by you the beneficiary to make a documented change of Receiver to
your name.
The total amount for everything is $65 we have tried our possible best
to Indicate that this $65 should be deducted from your total prize but
we found out that the funds have already been deposited to the IMF and
cannot be accessed by anyone apart from you the winner,therefore you
will be required to pay the required fees to the Agent in-charge of
this Certificate. Contact Money Gram department with E-meil( mgram047@gmail.com )
You are advice to direct the payment via money gram with bellow information.
Receiver Name............Tony Okafor
Country..................Benin Republic
City..................... Cotonou
Text question............When
Text answer..............Now
Amount................$65
Mtcn ...............
Sender's name.....
Looking forward to receive the payment details to enable you start
receiving your payment on daily basis ones the Certificate is obtain
on your behalf. Contact Money Gram department with E-meil( mgram047@gmail.com )
Brr. Peter Chukwu,
E-meil( mgram047@gmail.com )
secure.moneygram.com
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