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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:
- "activation 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. )
- "required 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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: James Anthony <"www."@star.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: James Anthony <officemoneygram78@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2017 00:03:30 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention Dear valued Citizen
this is Money gram general director James Anthony for Benin Republic to make it short this is to inform you again that this department and the president of this country both the administration trust fund and the IMF had a meeting yesterday about your fund and we have concluded that your fund will be cancel since you are unable to claim your fund by sending the required fee and also decided to remain silent to my agent who suppose to be sending you your payment of $5000.00 as i instructed her, so i decided to write you because i followed the law and i will not be against anybody in this word and i think that maybe she has a little problem with you. i have not touch your payment file until i hear from you this morning because i have a human sympathy
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so my Dear i need to know what the problem is or does it mean you want to abandon your fund? if you still want to receive your payment, you should get back to me immediately, also have it at the back of your mind that $150 is all that it cost to have your payment receive today nothing more will be demanded. and Please Note that the transfer has been programmed already, all you need to do now is to secure an activation charge which was $150.to enable us release your first payment today for you to pick it up I am using this medium to inform you also that failure to pay the activation fee of $150 within 24 hours will result in the cancellation of the transfer so rush now to any money gram outlet office nearest to you and make the payment and be able to pick your first installment of $5000.00 today from your total fund ($4.5M)
Here is the information on how you going to send the $150 via money gram or western union
RECEIVER'S NAME:John eri
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY: COTONOU
AMOUNT: $150
I hope you we understand and do the needful thing as I instructed you to enable you pick up your payment today
your urgent respond is needed
Director Money Gram Transfer, Head Office Benin Republic.
James Anthony
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Anti-fraud resources:
