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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- 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.
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr. William" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <uba-alert@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2018 04:47:07 -0800
Subject: Dear Valued Customer
UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT HEAD OFFICE
SAMUEL ASABIA HOUSE
35 MARINA
Dear Valued Customer
Please for your information this institution as a United Bank have no intention to confiscate your funds, we only urgently required you to activate your Year 2018 dormant automated transit account with us to enable you have the instant access of accessing your ATM Card or making transfer of your funds into any account of your choice with 2-3hrs of the activation.
Please note that our annual audit Year 2018 will commence immediately after this week, so we therefore urgently advise you to comply with the payment of the required activation fee in other to avoid any extension of your payment funds to next quarters. We have decided to reduce the activation fee to $95 and you are expected to send the fee today unfailingly.
Altogether, as soon as we receive the payment information from you, your domiciliary Account together with your ATM Card will be Activated immediately and you can start making your Withdrawal or start making payment to your account according to your request.
You are advice to send $95 through our Account Officer via money gram or Western union with the below information:
RECEIVER NAME: Godwin Odili
DESTINATION: BENIN REPUBLIC
TEXT QUESTION: Year
ANSWER: 2018
AMOUNT: $95
After sent the money kindly fill the below details for proper confirmation to proceed:
SENDER NAME:.................
MTCN #.......................
REFERENCE #..................
I am still waiting for the payment confirmation to enable us release your funds transfer or your ATM Withdrawal as soon as we confirm the payment.
Yours faithfully
Mr. William
Executive Director
International Remittance Department.
Chat Conversation End
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