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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:
- "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. )
- 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: "Western Union Payment" <dhlexpresscourierr3@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunion.office@barid.com
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2018 12:22:10 +0200
Subject: CALL WESTERN UNION +1(502) 563-1482
URGENT RESPONSE
Your first Payment of $5000 usd is approved to send to you today, So
kindly reconfirm your receiver's name information to the Western Union
office for the approval of our fund payment of ($2.500`000`00USD) to be
sign and release to you immediately to you send the below information to
them: Note that your payment files will be returned to the IMF within 24
hours this is the instruction given to us by the IMF.We have sent out your
first payment $5,000 MTCN#_3437440070.
BELOW IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT $5,OOO.OOUSD
Sender Name: Todd Marcos
MTCN:3437440070
Question= What Color
Answer= White
Amount Sent: $5000 USD
Remember we need your full information as where we will be sending the
second payments $5000 to avoid wrong transfer such as,
Your Receiver" Name _______
Your Country:__________
Your Telephone: No_______
Your Address: _________
Your Passport Id: ________
Contact Person
Director Mr Michael A. Miles, Jr.
Phone number: +1 (502) 563-1482
Contact our:Email:(westernunion.office@barid.com)
Our Western Union Office will release your payment to you and the maximum
amount you receiving each day from today is $5000 usd daily until the
funds complete transferred. Once we receive your information. The transfer
will commence. The IMF is compensating all the scam victims
($2.500`000`00USD) each, and your name was found in the scam victim's
list.
The Western union Director:
Name: Mr's Betsy D. Holden
CALL WESTERN UNION +1(502) 563-1482
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Anti-fraud resources:
