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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:
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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 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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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: " Frank welson" <"welson."@fine.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: " Frank welson" <mgram077@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2017 05:26:26 +0900 (JST)
Subject: GOOD NEWS
GOOD NEWS
This is to inform you that we have sent your first payment of$5,000.00 (Five Thousand dollars) through Money Gram as we have been
given the mandate to transfer your full compensation fund of$4.5Million Dollars via Money Gram by the United Nations Government.I
called to give you the information through phone but we could not reach you even this morning.So,I was instructed to email you the
payment information which include Reference (Money Transfer Control Number) and sender's name,so that you can pick up your payment of
$5,000.00 to enable us send another payment of $5,000.00 by tomorrow was you know we shall be sending you only $5,000.00 per day.
Use the below info to pick up your money now.
Sender First Name: Zelpha
Sender Second Name: ike
Reference: 69133972
Question= What Color
Answer= White
Amount Sent: $5000
Do let me know once you pick up the money from any money gram office in your country so the management will send you the second transfer
immediately.Call me on this number +22999502241 once you are back from money gram.feel to reach us on the above email address.customer care case management team money gram international.
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