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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "are expected to pay " (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 consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- 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.
- 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.
- david.kolapoo@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.David koman" <sara.rejmanova@jezkovyvoci.eu>
Reply-To: david.kolapoo@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2018 00:53:00 +1200
Subject: Attention Dear Consignment Owner!
Internal Revenue Service United States Department of the Treasury
U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department
Internal Revenue Service United States Department of the Treasury
Accessibility Skip to Top Navigation
Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington , DC 20520
Greeting from USA I.R.S,
Attention Dear Consignment Owner!!!
We write to inform you that your package with reference number 2661428
has
been in Customs facility custody waiting for resolutions of the
clearance
to further the delivery to your destination address by the Diplomatic
Agent
who came all the way from Africa.We have been waiting for you to contact
us
regarding your consignment box which the agent suppose to deliver to you
which was on hold by USA Customs Department and they are requesting for
clearance certificate which will be obtain from the origination of the
consignment box before it will be released from the Customs to the
delivery
agent to complete the delivery to you.
After the phone call we made on your behalf to the USA Customs Authority
and the Government of Benin Republic, it was resolved that the delivery
of
your consignment to your destination will must be complete within two
(2)
working days upon your compliance to our directives;
You shall required to send sum of $56.00 usd to obtain the needed
Ownership-clearance certificate from the Federal High Court Of Justice
Republic of Benin because the clearance charges which was initially on
the
high price has been cut down by the US Embassy in Benin Republic
considering the poor economic situations that make it difficult for the
middle class citizens to meet up with the clearance of their
entitlement.
We will upon the confirmation of your clearing charge assign our
Diplomat
Agent (Mr.Eric Bowen) To proceed the delivery to your destination once
you
notify us with the payment information and the needed
Ownership-clearance
certificate from Republic of Benin, the USA Customs will release your
consignment to you and it will be delivered to you by our agent.
You can contact us with the following information,
Contact person: Mr.David koman
Email: (david.kolapoo@yahoo.com)
Note that you are expected to pay only $56.00 usd for
Ownership-clearance
certificate and you are to pay it to the origination of the package in
favor of CARMY UMEH as our accountant officer in Republic of Benin and
the
$56.00 usd will send through western union once you receive this mail
with
the information below for immediate release of your package,
PAYMENT INFORMATION
RECEIVERS NAME =========CARMY UMEH
COUNTRY/CITY:=======REPUBLIC OF BENIN
TEST QUESTION:=======URGENT
ANSWER: ===========SERVICE
AMOUNT:===========$56.00USD
Once you send the money please try to notify us with the MTCN so that we
can contact CARMY UMEH
for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release of your
Ownership-clearance certificate.
Note that any unclaimed consignment will be return to Benin Republic
Government after 7 days. So you are urgently advised to comply with our
directives so that the Customs will release your consignment as soon as
urgent.
Thank You
Yours Sincerely
Mr.Louis Elford
Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service.
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