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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- 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.
- 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.
- mechealtimothy4@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: Mr Mecheal Timothy <"www."@peach.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Mr Mecheal Timothy <mechealtimothy4@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2017 20:03:03 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention and Greetings,
Attention and Greetings,
I am Mr Mecheal Timothy, the Chair person in charge of Treasury Department, International wire transfers of Benin Republic Federal Ministry of Finance. You are to reply through this my official because this is to inform you that your fund was brought to my desk because the director & management of the WESTERN UNION &MONEYGRAM transfer have declared to divert your fund to the government treasury account just because you can not pay the wire transfer fee. In reasoning wisely to this complain I told them to wait until I hear from you today so that I will know the reason why you decide to reject such amount of money USD$2.5Million which is your righful & legal overdue inheritance payment just because of transfer fee.
The reason why i sent this email to you is because its your sweat and for this reason you still have this last chance to claim your fund if you can send full information because i have already arranged your wires ready for its daily wires to you but failling to do this, i will allow them to have power over your fund and am very sorry if you failed as this is the last chance.
Therefore, you are respectfully advised to reconfirm the following information to this department for the confirmation of your payment to enable us proceeds to serve you better. Fill your information bellow as we listed.
(1) Your Full Name:
(2) Your Phone Number
(3) Your Country:
(4) Your City:
(5) Your Company Name:
(6) Your Sex:
(7) Your Age:
(8) Your Occupation:
for easy collection and once again remember to reply through this my official
TAKE NOTE: REPLY ONLY
Thanks.
Mr Mecheal Timothy
Email(mechealtimothy4@gmail.com)
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Anti-fraud resources:
